^ 


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THE  DIVINE   COMEDY 


OF 


DANTE  ALIGHIERI 


TRANSLATED  BY 

CHARLES   ELIOT  NORTON 

I 
HELL 


BOSTON    AND    NEW    YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN   AND   COMPANY 

.  1897 


Hdf.i'/^ 


Copj^ght,  1891, 
Bz  CHARLES  ELIOT  NOBTOS. 

AU  rights  reserved. 


NINTH  EDinOX. 


>^ 


The  Riverside  Press,  Cambridge,  Sfass.,  U.  S.  A. 
Electrotyped  sad  Printed  by  H.  0.  Houghton  &  Oft 


To 
JAMES  RUSSELL  LOWELL. 

E  come  sare'  io  senza  Ini  corso  ? 

It  is  a  happiness  for  me  to  connect  this  volume  with 
the  memory  of  my  friend  and  master  from  youth.  I  was 
but  a  beginner  in  the  study  of  the  Divine  Comedy  when 
I  first  had  his  incomparable  aid  in  the  understanding  of 
it.  During  the  last  year  of  his  life  he  read  the  proofs 
of  this  volume,  to  what  great  advantage  to  my  work  may 
readily  be  conceived. 

When,  in  the  early  summer  of  this  year,  the  printing 
of  the  Purgatory  began,  though  iUness  made  it  an 
exertion  to  him,  he  continued  this  act  of  friendship,  and 
did  not  cease  till,  at  the  fifth  canto,  he  laid  down  the 
pencil  forever  from  his  dear  and  honored  hand. 

CHARLES  ELIOT  NORTON. 

Cahbridoe,  Massachusetts, 

1  October,  1891.  \ 


The  text  followed  in  this  translation  is,  in  general,  that  of 
Witte.  In  a  few  cases  I  have  preferred  the  readings  which  the 
more  recent  researches  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Moore,  of  Oxford, 
seem  to  have  estahlished  as  correct. 


CONTENTS. 


CANTO  I. 


Dante,  astray  in  a  wood,  reaches  the  foot  of  a  hill  which 
he  begins  to  ascend  ;  he  is  hindered  by  three  beasts  ; 
he  turns  back  and  is  met  by  Virgil,  who  proposes  to 
gfuide  him  into  the  eternal  world 1 

CANTO  IL 

Dante,  doubtful  of  his  own  powers,  is  discouraged  at  the 
outset.  Virgil  cheers  him  by  telling  him  that  he  has 
been  sent  to  his  aid  by  a  blessed  Spirit  from  Heaven. 
Dante  casts  off  fear,  and  the  poets  proceed  ....      6 

CANTO  in. 

The  gate  of  Hell.  Virgil  leads  Dante  in.  —  The  pun- 
ishment of  the  neither  good  nor  bad.  —  Acheron,  and 
the  sinners  on  its  bank.  —  Charon.  —  Earthquake.  — 
Dante  swoons 11 

CANTO   IV. 

The  further  side  of  Acheron.  Virgil  leads  Dante  into 
Limbo,  the  First  Circle  of  Hell,  containing  the  spirits 


iv  CONTENTS. 

of  those  who  lived  virtuously  but  without  Christian- 
ity. —  Greeting  of  Virgil  by  his  fellow  poets.  —  They 
enter  a  castle,  where  are  the  shades  of  ancient  wor- 
thies.    Virgil  and  Dante  depart 16 

CANTO  V. 

The  Second  Circle  :  Carnal  sinners.  —  Minos.  —  Shades 
renowned  of  old.  —  Francesca  da  Rimini 21 

CANTO  VI. 

The    Third   Circle  :    the    Gluttonous.  —  Cerberus.  — 
Ciacco 26 

CANTO  vn. 

The  Fourth  Circle  :  the  Avaricious  and  the  Prodigal.  — 

Pluto.  —  Fortune. 
The  Styx.  —  The  Fifth  Circle :  the  Wrathful  and  the 

Sullen 31 


CANTO  vin. 

The  Fifth  Circle.  —  Phlegyas  and  his  boat.  —  Passage 
of  the  Styx.  —  Filippo  Argenti.  —  The  City  of  Dis. 
—  The  demons  refuse  entrance  to  the  poets  ....     36 

CANTO   IX. 

The  City  of  Dis.  —  Erichtho.  —  The  Three  Furies.  — 
The  Heavenly  Messenger.  —  The  Sixth  Circle  :  Here- 
siarchs 41 


CONTENTS. 


CANTO  X. 


The  Sixth  Circle  :  Heresiarchs.  —  Farinata  degli  Uberti. 
—  Cavalcante  Cavalcanti.  —  Frederick  II 46 


CANTO  XI. 

The  Sixth  Circle  :  Heretics.  —  Tomb  of  Pope  Anastasins. 
—  Discourse  of  Virgil  on  the  divisions  of  the  lower 
Hell 51 


CANTO  xn. 

First  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle  :  those  who  do  vio- 
lence to  others.  —  Tyrants  and  Homicides.  —  The 
Minotaur.  —  The  Centaurs.  —  Chiron.  —  Nessus.  — 
The  Biver  of  Boiling  Blood,  and  the  Sinners  in  it  .    .    56 


CANTO  xm. 

Second  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle :  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  themselves  and  to  their  goods.  —  The 
Wood  of  Self-murderers.  —  The  Harpies.  —  Pier  deUa 
Yigne.  —  Lano  of  Siena  and  others 61 

CANTO  XIV. 

Third  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle  :  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  God.  —  The  Burning  Sand.  —  Capa- 
neus.  —  Figure  of  the  Old  Man  in  Crete.  —  The  Riv- 
ers of  Hell    67 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CANTO  XV. 

Third  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle :  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  Nature.  —  Brunetto  Latini.  —  Pro- 
phecies of  misfortune  to  Dante 73 

CANTO  'XVI. 

Third  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle :  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  Nature.  —  Guido  Guerra,  Tegghiaio 
Aldobrandi  and  Jacopo  Rusticucci.  —  The  roar  of 
Phlegethon  as  it  pours  downward.  —  The  cord  thrown 
into  the  abyss 79 

CANTO  XVII. 

Third  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle  :  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  Art.  —  Geryon.  —  The  Usurers.  — 
Descent  to  the  Eighth  Circle 85 

CANTO  xvni. 

Eighth  Circle  :  the  first  pit  :  Panders  and  Seducers.  — 
Venedico  Caccianimico.  —  Jason.  —  Second  pit :  false 
flatterers.  —  Alessio  Interminei.  —  Thais 91 

CANTO  XIX. 

Eighth  Circle  :  third  pit :  Simonists.  —  Pope  Nicholas 
in 97 

CANTO  XX. 

Eighth  Circle  :  fourth  pit  :  Diviners,  Soothsayers,  and 
Magicians.  —  Amphiaraus.  —  Tiresias.  —  Aruns.  — 
Manto.  —  Eurypylus.  —  Michael  Scott.  —  Asolente     .  103 


CONTENTS.  vii 

CANTO  XXI. 

Eighth  Circle  :  fifth  pit :  Barrators.  —  A  magistrate  of 
Lucca.  —  The  Malebranche. —  Parley  with  them   .    .  109 

CANTO  xxn. 

Eighth  Circle  :  fifth  pit :  Barrators.  —  Ciampolo  of  Na/- 
varre.  —  Brother  Gomita.  —  Michael  Zanche.  —  Fray 
of  the  Malebranche 115 

CANTO  XXnL 

Eighth  Circle.  Escape  from  the  fifth  pit.  —  The  sixth 
pit :  Hypocrites.  —  The  Jovial  Friars.  —  Caiaphas.  — 
Amias.  —  Frate  Catalano 121 

CANTO  XXTV. 

Eighth  Circle.  The  poets  climb  from  the  sixth  pit.  — 
Seventh  pit :  Fraudulent  Thieves.  —  Vanui  FuccL  — 
Prophecy  of  calamity  to  Dante 127 

CANTO  XXV. 

Eighth  Circle  :  seventh  pit  :  Fraudulent  Thieves.  — Ca- 
cus.  —  Agnello  Brunelleschi  and  others     ....      133 

CANTO  XXVL 

Eighth  Circle  :  eighth  pit :  Fraudulent  Counsellors.  — 
Ulysses  and  Diomed 139 


■vrn  CONTENTS. 

CANTO  XXVII. 

Eighth  Circle  :  eighth  pit  :  Fraudulent  Counsellors.  — 
Guido  da  Montefeltro 145 

CANTO  xxvni. 

Eighth  Circle  :  ninth  pit :  Sowers  of  discord  and  schism. 
—  Mahomet  and  Ali.  —  Fra  Dolcino.  —  Pier  da  Medi- 
cina.  —  Curio.  —  Mosca.  —  Bertran  de  Bom     .     .     .  151 

CANTO  XXIX. 

Eighth  Circle :  ninth  pit.  —  Greri  del  Bello.  —  Tenth  pit : 
Falsifiers  of  all  sorts.  —  GrifEolino  of  Arezzo.  —  Ca- 
pocchio ^57 

CANTO  XXX. 

Eighth  Circle  :  tenth  pit :  Fablfiers  of  all  sorts.  —  Myr- 
rha.  —  Gianni  Schicchi. — Master  A^am. — §inon  of 
Troy    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    ,    .    i    .1    .    .    ,    .    .  ^ 

CANTO  XXXI. 

The  Giants  around  the  Eighth  Circle.  —  Nimrod. — Ephi- 
altes.  —  Anteeus  sets  the  Poets  down  in  the  Ninth 
Circle 168 

CANTO  xxxn. 

Ninth  Circle  :  Traitors.  First  ring  :  Caina.  —  Counts  of 
Mangona.  —  Camicion  de'  Pazzi.  —  Second  ring :  An- 
teuora.  —  Bocca  degli  Abati.  —  Buoso  da  Duera.  — 
Count  Ugolino 175 


CONTENTS.  ix 

CANTO  XXXIII. 

Ninth  Circle  :  Traitors.  Second  ring :  Antenora.  — 
Count  Ugolino.  —  Third  ring  :  Ptolomsea.  —  Brother 
Alberigo.  —  Branca  d'  Oria 181 

CANTO  XXXIV. 

Ninth  Circle  :  Traitors.  Fourth  ring  :  Judecca.  —  Luci- 
fer.—  .Judas,  Brutus  and  Cassius. —  Centre  of  the 
universe.  —  Passage  from  Hell.  —  Ascent  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  Southern  Hemisphere     .•«,.•.  188 


INTRODUCTION. 


So  many  versions  of  the  Divine  Comedy  exist  in 
English  that  a  new  one  might  well  seem  needless. 
But  most  of  these  translations  are  in  verse,  and 
the  intellectual  temper  of  our  time  is  impatient  of 
a  transmutation  in  which  substance  is  sacrificed  for 
form's  sake,  and  the  new  form  is  itself  different 
from  the  original.  The  conditions  of  verse  in  dif- 
ferent languages  vary  so  widely  as  to  make  any 
versified  translation  of  a  poem  but  an  imperfect 
reproduction  of  the  archetype.  It  is  like  an  im- 
perfect mirror  that  renders  but  a  partial  likeness, 
in  which  essential  features  are  blurred  or  distorted. 
Dante  himself,  the  first  modern  critic,  declared 
that  "  nothing  harmonized  by  a  musical  bond  can 
be  transmuted  from  its  own  speech  without  losing 
all  its  sweetness  and  harmony,"  and  every  fresh 
attempt  at  translation  affords  a  new  proof  of  the 
truth  of  his  assertion.  Each  language  exhibits 
its  own  special  genius  in  its  poetic  forms.  Even 
when  they  are  closely  similar  in  rhythmical  method 
their   poetic   effect   is    essentially   different,  their 


Xli  INTRODUCTION. 

individuality  is  distinct.  The  hexameter  of  the 
Iliad  is  not  the  hexameter  of  the  ^neid.  And 
if  this  be  the  case  in  respect  to  related  forms,  it  is 
even  more  obvious  in  respect  to  forms  peculiar  to 
one  language,  like  the  terza  rima  of  the  Italian, 
for  which  it  is  impossible  to  find  a  satisfactory 
equivalent  in  another  tongue. 

If,  then,  the  attempt  be  vain  to  reproduce  the 
form  or  to  represent  its  effect  in  a  translation,  yet 
the  substance  of  a  poem  may  have  such  worth  that 
it  deserves  to  be  known  by  readers  who  must  read 
it  in  their  own  tongue  or  not  at  all.  In  this  case 
the  aim  of  the  translator  should  be  to  render  the 
substance  fully,  exactly,  and  with  as  close  a  cor- 
respondence to  the  tone  and  style  of  the  original 
as  is  possible  between  prose  and  poetry.  Of  the 
charm,  of  the  power  of  the  poem  such  a  transla- 
tion can  give  but  an  inadequate  suggestion ;  the 
musical  bond  was  of  its  essence,  and  the  loss  of 
the  musical  bond  is  the  loss  of  the  beauty  to  which 
form  and  substance  mutually  contributed,  and  in 
which  they  were  both  alike  harmonized  and  sub- 
limated. The  rhythmic  life  of  the  original  is  its 
vital  spirit,  and  the  translation  losing  this  vital 
spirit  is  at  best  as  the  dull  plaster  cast  to  the  liv- 
ing marble  or  the  breathing  bronze.  The  intel- 
lectual substance  is  there ;  and  if  the  work  be 
good,  something  of  the  emotional  quality  may  be 


INTRODUCTION.  xm 

conveyed ;  the  imagination  may  mould  the  prose 
as  it  moulded  the  verse, — but,  after  all,  "trans- 
lations are  but  as  tum-coated  things  at  best,"  as 
Howell  said  in  one  of  his  Familiar  Letters. 

No  poem  in  any  tongue  is  more  informed  with 
rhythmic  life  than  the  Divine  Comedy.  And 
yet,  such  is  its  extraordinary  distinction,  no  poem 
has  an  intellectual  and  emotional  substance  more 
independent  of  its  metrical  form.  Its  complex 
structure,  its  elaborate  measure  and  rhyme,  highly 
artificial  as  they  are,  are  so  mastered  by  the  genius 
of  the  poet  as  to  become  the  most  natural  expres- 
sion of  the  spirit  by  which  the  poem  is  inspired ; 
while  at  the  same  time  the  thought  and  sentiment 
embodied  in  the  verse  is  of  such  import,  and  the 
narrative  of  such  interest,  that  they  do  not  lose 
their  worth  when  expressed  in  the  prose  of  another 
tongue ;  they  still  have  power  to  quicken  imagina- 
tion, and  to  evoke  sympathy. 

In  English  there  is  an  excellent  prose  translor 
tion  of  the  Inferno,  by  Dr.  John  Carlyle,  a  man 
well  known  to  the  reader  of  his  brother's  Corre- 
spondence. It  was  published  forty  years  ago,  but 
it  is  still  contemporaneous  enough  in  style  to  an- 
swer every  need,  and  had  Dr.  Carlyle  made  a  ver- 
sion of  the  whole  poem  I  should  hardly  have  cared 
to  attempt  a  new  one.  In  my  translation  of  the 
Inferno  I  am   often  Dr.  Carlyle's  debtor.     His 


nv  INTRODUCTION. 

conception  of  what  a  translation  should  be  is  very 
much  the  same  as  my  own.  Of  the  JPurgatorio 
there  is  a  prose  version  which  has  excellent  quali- 
ties, by  Mr.  W.  S.  Dugdale.  Another  version  of 
great  merit,  of  both  the  Purgatorio  and  Paradiso, 
is  that  of  Mr.  A.  J.  Butler.  It  is  accompanied  by 
a  scholarly  and  valuable  comment,  and  I  owe  much 
to  Mr.  Butler's  work.  But  through  what  seems  to 
me  occasional  excess  of  literal  fidelity  his  English 
is  now  and  then  somewhat  crabbed.  "  He  overacts 
the  office  of  an  interpreter,"  I  cite  again  from 
Howell,  "  who  doth  enslave  himself  too  strictly  to 
words  or  phrases.  One  may  be  so  over-punctual  in 
words  that  he  may  mar  the  matter." 

I  have  tried  to  be  as  literal  in  my  translation  as 
was  consistent  with  good  English,  and  to  render 
Dante's  own  words  in  words  as  nearly  correspond- 
ent to  them  as  the  difference  in  the  languages 
would  permit.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered  that 
the  familiar  uses  and  subtle  associations  which 
give  to  words  their  full  meaning  are  never  abso- 
lutely the  same  in  two  languages.  Love  in  Eng- 
lish not  only  sounds  but  is  different  from  amor 
in  Latin,  or  amore  in  Italian.  Even  the  most 
felicitous  prose  translation  must  fail  therefore  at 
times  to  afford  the  entire  and-  precise  meaning  of 
the  original. 

Moreover,  there  are  difficulties  in  Dante's  poem 


INTRODUCTION.  XV 

for  Italians,  and  there  are  difficulties  in  the  trans-' 
lation  for  English  readers.  These,  where  it  seemed 
needful,  I  have  endeavored  to  explain  in  brief  foot- 
notes. But  I  have  desired  to  avoid  distracting  the 
attention  of  the  reader  from  the  narrative,  and 
have  mainly  left  the  understanding  of  it  to  his 
good  sense  and  perspicacity.  The  clearness  of 
Dante's  imaginative  vision  is  so  complete,  and  the 
character  of  his  narration  of  it  so  direct  and  sim- 
ple, that  the  difficulties  in  understanding  his  inten- 
tion are  comparatively  few. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  in  by  far  the  greater 
number  of  passages  where  a  doubt  in  regard  to 
the  interpretation  exists,  the  obscurity  lies  in  the 
rhyme-word.  For  with  all  the  abundant  resources 
of  the  Italian  tongue  in  rhyme,  and  with  all 
Dante's  mastery  of  them,  the  truth  still  is  that  his 
triple  rhyme  often  compelled  him  to  exact  from 
words  such  service  as  they  did  not  naturally  ren- 
der and  as  no  other  poet  had  required  of  them. 
The  compiler  of  the  Ottimo  Comento  records,  in 
an  often-cited  passage,  that  "I,  the  writer,  heard 
Dante  say  that  never  a  rhyme  had  led  him  to  say 
other  than  he  would,  but  that  many  a  time  and  oft 
he  had  made  words  say  for  him  what  they  were 
not  wont  to  express  for  other  poets."  The  sen- 
tence has  a  double  truth,  for  it  indicates  not  only 
Dante's  incomparable  power  to  compel  words  to 


xvi  IN  TB  OB  UCTION. 

give  out  their  full  meaning,  but  also  his  invention 
of  new  uses  for  them,  his  employment  of  them  in 
unusual  significations  or  in  forms  hardly  elsewhere 
to  be  found.  These  devices  occasionally  interfere 
with  the  limpid  flow  of  his  diction,  but  the  difficult 
ties  of  interpretation  to  which  they  give  rise  serve 
rather  to  mark  the  prevailing  clearness  and  sim- 
plicity of  his  expression  than  seriously  to  impede 
its  easy  and  unperplexed  current.  There  are  few 
sentences  in  the  Divina  Commedia  in  which  a  diffi- 
culty is  occasioned  by  lack  of  definiteness  of  thought 
or  distinctness  of  image. 

A  far  deeper-lying  and  more  pervading  source 
of  imperfect  comprehension  of  the  poem  than  any 
verbal  difficulty  exists  in  the  double  or  triple 
meaning  that  runs  through  it.  The  narrative  of 
the  poet's  spiritual  journey  is  so  vivid  and  con- 
sistent that  it  has  all  the  reality  of  an  account  of 
an  actual  experience  ;  but  within  and  beneath  runs 
a  stream  of  allegory  not  less  consistent  and  hardly 
less  continuous  than  the  narrative  itself.  To  the 
illustration  and  carrying  out  of  this  interior  mean- 
ing even  the  minutest  details  of  external  incident 
are  made  to  contribute,  with  an  appropriateness, 
of  significance,  and  with  a  freedom  from  forced 
interpretation  or  artificiality  of  construction  such 
as  no  other  writer  of  allegory  has  succeeded  in 
attaining.     The  poem  may  be  read  with  interest 


INTRODUCTION.  XVU 

as  a  record  of  experience  without  attention  to  its 
inner  meaning,  but  its  full  interest  is  only  felt 
when  this  inner  meaning  is  traced,  and  the  moral 
significance  of  the  incidents  of  the  story  appre- 
hended by  the  alert  intelligence.  The  allegory 
is  the  sold  of  the  poem,  but  like  the  soul  within 
the  body  it  does  not  show  itself  in  independent 
existence.  It  is,  in  scholastic  phrase,  the  form  of 
the  body,  giving  to  it  its  special  individuality. 

Thus  in  order  truly  to  understand  and  rightly 
appreciate  the  poem  the  reader  must  follow  its 
course  with  a  double  intelligence.  "  Taken  lit- 
erally," as  Dante  declares  in  his  Letter  to  Can 
Grande,  "  the  subject  is  the  state  of  the  soul  after 
death,  simply  considered.  But,  allegorically  taken, 
its  subject  is  man,  according  as  by  his  good  or  ill 
deserts  he  renders  himself  liable  to  the  reward  or 
punishment  of  Justice."  It  is  the  allegory  of 
human  life ;  and  not  of  human  life  as  an  abstrac- 
tion, but  of  the  individual  life ;  and  herein,  as 
Mr.  Lowell,  whose  phrase  I  borrow,  has  said,  "  lie 
its  profound  meaning  and  its  permanent  force."  ^ 
And  herein  too  lie  its  perennial  freshness  of  in- 
terest, and  the  actuality  which  makes  it  contem* 

^  Mr.  Lowell's  essay  on  Dante  makes  otiier  vrritdng  about  the 
poet  or  the  poem  seem  ineffectual  and  superfluous.  I  must  as- 
sume that  it  will  be  familiar  to  the  readers  of  my  version,  at  least 
to  those  among  them  who  desire  truly  to  understand  the  Divine 
Comedy. 


xviii  INTRODUCTION. 

poraneous  with  every  successive  generation.  The 
increase  of  knowledge,  the  loss  of  belief  in  doc- 
trines that  were  fundamental  in  Dante's  creed,  the 
changes  in  the  order  of  society,  the  new  thoughts 
of  the  world,  have  not  lessened  the  moral  import 
of  the  poem,  any  more  than  they  have  lessened  its 
excellence  as  a  work  of  art.  Its  real  substance  is 
as  independent  as  its  artistic  beauty,  of  science, 
of  creed,  and  of  institutions.  Human  nature  has 
not  changed ;  the  motives  of  action  are  the  same, 
though  their  relative  force  and  the  desires  and 
ideals  by  which  they  are  inspired  vary  from  gen. 
eration  to  generation.  And  thus  it  is  that  the 
moral  judgments  of  life  framed  by  a  great  poet 
whose  imagination  penetrates  to  the  core  of  things, 
and  who,  from  his  very  nature  as  poet,  conceives 
and  sets  forth  the  issues  of  life  not  in  a  treatise  of 
abstract  morality,  but  by  means  of  sensible  types 
and  images,  never  lose  interest,  and  have  a  per- 
petual contemporaneousness.  They  deal  with  the 
permanent  and  unalterable  elements  of  the  soul  of 
man. 

The  scene  of  the  poem  is  the  spiritual  world,  of 
which  we  are  members  even  while  still  denizens 
in  the  world  of  time.  In  the  spiritual  world  the 
results  of  sin  or  perverted  love,  and  of  virtue  or 
right  love,  in  this  life  of  probation,  are  manifest. 
The  life  to  come  is  but  the  fulfilment  of  the  life 


INTRODUCTION.  XIX 

that  now  is.  This  is  the  truth  that  Dante  sought 
to  enforce.  The  allegory  in  which  he  cloaked  it 
is  of  a  character  that  separates  the  Divine  Comedy 
from  all  other  works  of  similar  iutento  In  T/ie 
Pilgrim^ s  Progress^  for  example,  the  personages 
introduced  are  mere  simulacra  of  men  and  women, 
the  types  of  moral  qualities  or  religious  disposi- 
tions. They  are  abstractions  which  the  genius  of 
Bunyan  fails  to  inform  with  vitality  sufficient  to 
kindle  the  imagination  of  the  reader  with  a  sense 
of  their  actual,  living  and  breathing  existence. 
But  in  the  Divine  Comedy  the  personages  are  all 
from  real  life,  they  are  men  and  women  with  their 
natural  passions  and  emotions,  and  they  are  under- 
going an  actual  experience.  The  allegory  consists 
in  making  their  characters  and  their  fates,  what 
all  human  characters  and  fates  really  are,  the 
types  and  images  of  spiritual  law.  Virgil  and 
Beatrice,  whose  nature  as  depicted  in  the  poem 
makes  nearest  approach  to  purely  abstract  and 
typical  existence,  are  always  consistently  presented 
as  living  individuals,  exalted  indeed  in  wisdom  and 
power,  but  with  hardly  less  definite  and  concrete 
humanity  than  that  of  Dante  himself. 

The  scheme  of  the  created  Universe  held  by  the 
Christians  of  the  Middle  Ages  was  comparatively 
simple,  and  so  definite  that  Dante,  in  accepting  it 
in  its  main  features  without  modification,  was  pro- 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

vided  with  the  limited  stage  that  was  requisite  for 
his  design,  and  of  which  the  general  disposition 
was  familiar  to  all  his  readers.  The  three  spirit- 
ual realms  had  their  local  bounds  marked  out  as 
clearly  as  those  of  the  earth  itself.  Their  cosmo- 
graphy was  but  an  extension  of  the  largely  hypo- 
thetical geography  of  the  time. 

The  Earth  was  the  centre  of  the  Universe,  and 
its  northern  hemisphere  was  the  abode  of  man. 
At  the  middle  point  of  this  hemisphere  stood 
Jerusalem,  equidistant  from  the  Pillars  of  Her- 
cules on  the  West,  and  the  Ganges  on  the  East. 

Within  the  body  of  this  hemisphere  was  Hell, 
shaped  as  a  vast  cone,  of  which  the  apex  was  the 
centre  of  the  globe ;  and  here,  according  to  Dante, 
was  the  seat  of  Lucifer.  The  concave  of  Hell 
had  been  formed  by  his  fall,  when  a  portion  of 
the  solid  earth,  through  fear  of  him,  ran  back  to 
the  southern  uninhabited  hemisphere,  and  formed 
there,  directly  antipodal  to  Jerusalem,  the  moun- 
tain of  Purgatory  which  rose  from  the  waste  of 
waters  that  covered  this  half  of  the  globe.  Pur- 
gatory was  shaped  as  a  cone,  of  similar  dimensions 
to  that  of  Hell,  and  at  its  summit  was  the  Terres- 
trial Paradise. 

Immediately  surrounding  the  atmosphere  of  the 
Earth  was  the  sphere  of  elemental  fire.  Around 
this  was  the  Heaven  of  the  Moon,  and  encircling 


INTRODUCTION.  XXl 

this,  in  order,  were  the  Heavens  of  Mercury, 
Venus,  the  Sun,  Mars,  Jove,  Saturn,  the  Fixed 
Stars,  and  the  Crystalline  or  first  moving  Heaven. 
These  nine  concentric  Heavens  revolved  continu- 
ally around  the  Earth,  and  in  proportion  to  their 
distance  from  it  was  the  greater  swiftness  of  each. 
Encircling  all  was  the  Empyrean,  increate,  incor- 
poreal, motionless,  unbounded  in  time  or  space, 
the  proper  seat  of  God,  the  home  of  the  Angels, 
the  abode  of  the  Elect. 

The  Angelic  Hierarchy  consisted  of  nine  orders, 
corresponding  to  the  nine  moving  Heavens.  Their 
blessedness  and  the  swiftness  of  the  motion  with 
which  in  unending  delight  they  circled  around 
God  were  in  proportion  to  their  nearness  to  Him, 
—  first  the  Seraphs,  then  the  Cherubs,  Thrones, 
Dominations,  Virtues,  Powers,  Princes,  Archan- 
gels, and  Angels.  Through  them,  under  the  gen- 
eral name  of  Intelligences,  the  Divine  influence 
was  transmitted  to  the  Heavens,  giving  to  them 
their  circular  motion,  which  was  the  expression  of 
their  longing  to  be  united  with  the  source  of  their 
creation.  .  The  Heavens  in  their  turn  streamed 
down  upon  the  Earth  the  Divine  influence  thus 
distributed  among  them,  in  varying  proportion 
and  power,  producing  divers  effects  in  the  genera- 
tion and  corruption  of  material  things,  and  in  the 
dispositions  and  the  lives  of  men. 


XXll  INTRODUCTION. 

Such  was  the  general  scheme  of  the  Universe. 
The  intention  of  God  in  its  creation  was  to  com- 
municate of  his  own  perfection  to  the  creatures 
endowed  with  souls,  that  is,  to  men  and  to  angels, 
and  the  proper  end  of  every  such  creature  was  tc 
seek  its  own  perfection  in  likeness  to  the  Divine, 
This  end  was  attained  through  that  knowledge  oi 
God  of  which  the  soul  was  capable,  and  througt 
love  which  was  in  proportion  to  knowledge.  Virtue 
depended  on  the  free  will  of  man  ;  it  was  the  good 
use  of  that  will  directed  to  a  right  object  of  love. 
Two  lights  were  given  to  the  soul  for  guidance 
of  the  will :  the  light  of  reason  for  natural  things 
and  for  the  direction  of  the  will  to  moral  virtue ; 
the  light  of  grace  for  things  supernatural,  and  for 
the  direction  of  the  will  to  spiritual  virtue.  Sin 
was  the  opposite  of  virtue,  the  choice  by  the  will 
of  false  objects  of  love ;  it  involved  the  misuse 
of  reason,  and  the  absence  of  grace.  As  the  end 
of  virtue  was  blessedness,  so  the  end  of  sin  was 
misery. 

The  corner -stone  of  Dante's  moral  system  was 
the  Freedom  of  the  Will ;  in  other  word&,  the  right 
of  private  judgment  with  the  condition  of  account- 
ability. This  is  the  liberty  which  Dante,  that  is 
man,  goes  seeking  in  his  journey  through  the  spir- 
itual world.  This  liberty  is  to  be  attained  through 
the  right   use   of  reason,   illuminated  by  Divine 


INTRODUCTION.  xxui 

Grace ,  it  consists  in  the  perfect  accord  of  the  will 
of  man  with  the  will  of  God. 

With  this  view  of  the  nature  and  end  of  man 
Dante's  conception  of  the  history  of  the  race  could 
not  be  other  than  that  its  course  was  providen- 
tially ordered.  The  fall  of  man  had  made  him  a 
just  object  of  the  vengeance  of  God  ;  but  the  elect 
were  to  be  redeemed,  and  for  their  redemption  the 
history  of  the  world  from  the  beginning  was  di- 
rected. Not  only  in  his  dealings  with  the  Jews,  but 
in  his  dealings  with  the  heathen  was  God  preparing 
for  the  reconciliation  of  man,  to  be  finally  accom- 
plished in  his  sacrifice  of  Himself  for  them.  The 
Roman  Empire  was  foreordained  and  established 
for  this  end.  It  was  to  jjrepare  the  way  for  the 
establishment  of  the  Roman  Church.  It  was  the 
appointed  instrument  for  the  political  government 
of  men.  Empire  and  Church  were  alike  divine 
institutions  for  the  guidance  of  man  on  earth. 

The  aim  of  Dante  in  the  Divine  Comedy  was 
to  set  forth  these  truths  in  such  wise  as  to  affect 
the  imaginations  and  touch  the  hearts  of  men,  so 
that  they  should  turn  to  righteousness.  His  con- 
"viction  of  these  truths  was  no  mere  matter  of  be- 
lief ;  it  had  the  ardor  and  certainty  of  faith.  They 
had  appeared  to  him  in  all  their  fulness  as  a  reve- 
lation of  the  Divine  wisdom.  It  was  his  work  as 
poet,  as  poet  with  a  divine  commission,  to  make 


xxiv  INTRODUCTION. 

this  revelation  known.  His  work  was  a  work  of 
faith  ;  it  was  sacred ;  to  it  both  Heaven  and  Earth 
had  set  their  hands. 

To  this  work,  as  I  have  said,  the  definiteness 
and  the  limits  of  the  generally  accepted  theory  of 
the  Universe  gave  the  required  frame.  The  very 
narrowness  of  this  scheme  made  Dante's  design 
practicable.  He  had  had  the  experience  of  a  man 
on  earth.  He  had  been  lured  by  false  objects  of 
desire  from  the  pursuit  of  the  true  good.  But  Di- 
vine Grace,  in  the  form  of  Beatrice,  who  had  of 
old  on  earth  led  him  aright,  now  intervened  and 
sent  to  his  aid  Virgil,  who,  as  the  type  of  Human 
Reason,  should  bring  him  safe  through  Hell,  show- 
ing to  him  the  eternal  consequences  of  sin,  and 
then  should  conduct  him,  penitent,  up  the  height 
of  Purgatory,  till  on  its  summit,  in  the  Earthly 
Paradise,  Beatrice  should  appear  once  more  to  him. 
Thence  she,  as  the  type  of  that  knowledge  through 
which  comes  the  love  of  God,  should  lead  him, 
through  the  Heavens  up  to  the  Empyrean,  to  the 
consummation  of  his  course  in  the  actual  vision  of 
God. 


AIDS  TO  THE  STUDY  OF  THE  DIVINE 
COMEDY. 

The  Essay  by  Mr.  Lowell,  to  which  I  have 
already  referred  (J^ante^  Lowell's  Prose  Works, 
vol.  iv.)  is  the  best  introduction  to  the  study  of 
the  poem.     It  should  be  read  and  re-read. 

Dante^  an  essay  by  the  late  Dean  Church,  is  the 
work  of  a  learned  and  sympathetic  scholar,  and  is 
an  excellent  treatise  on  the  life,  times,  and  work 
of  the  poet. 

The  Notes  and  Illustrations  that  accompany  Mr. 
Longfellow's  translation  of  the  Divine  Comedy 
form  an  admirable  body  of  comment  on  the  poem. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Moore's  little  volume,  on 
Tlie  T^ime- References  in  the  Divina  Commedia 
(London,  1887),  is  of  great  value  in  making  the 
progress  of  Dante's  journey  clear,  and  in  show- 
ing Dante's  scrupulous  consistency  of  statement. 
Dr.  Moore's  more  recent  work.  Contributions  to 
the  Textual  Criticism  of  the  Divina  Commedia 
(Cambridge,  1889),  is  to  be  warmly  commended  to 
the  advanced  student. 

These  sources  of  information  are  enough  for  the 
mere  English  reader.  But  one  who  desires  to 
make    himself   a   thorough   master   of    the   poem 


XXVI  AIDS  IN  STUDYING  THE  DIVINE  COMEDY 

must  turn  to  foreign  sources  of  instruction :  to 
Carl  Witte's  invaluable  Dante-ForscTiungen  (2 
vols.  Halle,  1889}  ;  to  the  comment,  especially  that 
on  the  Paradiso,  which  accompanies  the  German 
translation  of  the  Divine  Comedy  by  Philaletlies, 
the  late  King  John  of  Saxony ;  to  Bartoli's  life 
of-  Dante  in  his  Storia  della  Letteratura  Italiana 
(Firenze,  1878  and  subsequent  years),  and  to  Scar- 
tazzini's  Prolegomeni  della  Divina  Commedia 
(Leipzig,  1890).  The  fourteenth  century  Com- 
ments, especially  those  of  Boccaccio,  of  Buti,  and  of 
Benvenuto  da  Imola,  are  indispensable  to  one  who 
would  understand  the  poem  as  it  was  understood 
by  Dante's  immediate  contemporaries  and  succes- 
sors. It  is  from  them  and  from  the  Chronicle  of 
Dante's  contemporary  and  fellow-citizen,  Giovanni 
Viilani,  that  our  knowledge  concerning  many  of 
the  personages  mentioned  in  the  Poem  is  derived. 

In  respect  to  the  theology  and  general  doctrine 
of  the  Poem,  the  Summa  Theologica  of  St.  Thomas 
Aquinas  is  the  main  source  from  which  Dante  him- 
self drew. 

Of  editions  of  the  Divina  Commedia  in  Italian, 
either  that  of  Andreoli,  or  of  Bianchi,  or  of  Frati- 
celli,  each  in  one  volume,  may  be  recommended  to 
the  beginner.  Scartazzini's  edition  in  three  voL 
umes  is  the  best,  in  spite  of  some  serious  defects, 
for  the  deeper  student. 


HELL. 


HELL. 


CANTO  I. 

Dante,  astray  in  a  wood,  reaches  the  foot  of  a  hill  which 
he  begins  to  ascend  ;  he  is  hindered  by  three  beasts  ;  he 
turns  back  and  is  met  by  Virgil,  who  proposes  to  guide  him 
into  the  eternal  world. 

Midway  upon  the  road  of  our  life  I  found  my- 
seif  within  a  dark  wood,  for  the  right  way  had 
been  missed.  Ah !  how  hard  a  thing  it  is  to  tell 
what  this  wild  and  rough  and  dense  wood  was, 
which  in  thought  renews  the  fear !  So  bitter  is  it 
that  death  is  little  more.  But  in  order  to  treat  of 
the  good  that  there  I  found,  I  will  tell  of  the  other 
things  that  I  have  seen  there.  I  cannot  well  re- 
count how  I  entered  it,  so  full  was  I  of  slumber 
at  that  point  where  I  abandoned  the  true  way. 
But  after  I  had  arrived  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  where 
that  valley  ended  which  had  pierced  my  heart  with 
fear,  I  looked  on  high,  and  saw  its  shoulders 
clothed  already  with  the  rays  of  the  planet  ^  that 
leadeth  men  aright  along  every  path.     Then  was 

^  The  sun,  a  planet  according  to  the  Ptolemaic  system. 


2  HELL. 

the  fear  a  little  quieted  which  in  the  lake  of  my 
heart  had  lasted  through  the  night  that  I  passed 
so  piteously.  And  even  as  one  who  with  spent 
breath,  issued  out  of  the  sea  upon  the  shore,  turns 
to  the  perilous  water  and  gazes,  so  did  my  soul, 
which  still  was  flying,  turn  back  to  look  again 
upon  the  pass  which  never  had  a  living  person 
left. 

After  I  had  rested  a  little  my  weary  body  I  took 
my  way  again  along  the  desert  slope,  so  that  the 
firm  foot  was  always  the  lower.  And  lo !  almost 
at  the  beginning  of  the  steep  a  she-leopard,  light 
and  very  nimble,  which  was  covered  with  a  spotted 
coat.  And  she  did  not  move  from  before  my  face, 
nay,  rather  hindered  so  my  road  that  to  return  I 
oftentimes  had  turned. 

The  time  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  morning, 
and  the  Sun  was  mounting  upward  with  those  stars 
that  were  with  him  when  Love  Divine  first  set  in 
motion  those  beautiful  things ;  ^  so  that  the  hour 
of  the  time  and  the  sweet  season  were  occasion 
of  good  hope  to  me  concerning  that  wild  beast  with 
the  dappled  skin.  But  not  so  that  the  sight  which 
appeared  to  me  of  a  lion  did  not  give  me  fear.  He 
seemed  to  be  coming  against  me,  with  head  high 
and  with  ravening  hunger,  so  that  it  seemed  that 

^  According  to  old  tradition  the  spring  was  the  season  of  the 
creation. 


CANTO  I.  8 

the  air  was  affrighted  at  him.  And  a  she-wolf,^ 
who  with  all  cravings  seemed  laden  in  her  meagre- 
ness,  and  already  had  made  many  folk  to  live  for*^ 
lorn,  —  she  caused  me  so  much  heaviness,  with  the 
fear  that  came  from  sight  of  her,  that  I  lost  hope 
of  the  height.  And  such  as  he  is  who  gaineth  will- 
ingly, and  the  time  arrives  that  makes  him  lose, 
who  in  all  his  thoughts  weeps  and  is  sad,  —  such 
made  me  the  beast  without  repose  that,  coming  on 
against  me,  little  by  little  was  pushing  me  back 
thither  where  the  Sun  is  silent. 

While  I  was  falling  back  to  the  low  place,  be- 
fore mine  eyes  appeared  one  who  through  long 
silence  seemed  hoarse.  When  I  saw  him  in  the 
great  desert,  "  Have  pity  on  me !  "  I  cried  to  him, 
"  whatso  thou  art,  or  shade  or  real  man."  He  an- 
swered me  :  "  Not  man ;  man  once  I  was,  and  my 
parents  were  Lombards,  and  Mantuans  by  country 
/Hboth.  I  was  born  sub  Julio,  though  late,  and  I 
lived  at  Rome  under  the  good  Augustus,  in  the 
time  of  the  false  and  lying  gods.  Poet  was  I,  and 
sang  of  that  just  son  of  Anchises  who  came  from 
Troy  after  proud  Ilion  had  been  burned.  But 
thou,  why  returnest  thou  to  so  great  annoy  ?  Why 
dost  thou  not  ascend  the  delectable  mountain 
which  is   the   source  and   cause   of   every  joy  ? " 

^  These  three  beasts  correspond  to  the  triple  division  of  sins  into 
those  of  incontinence,  of  violence,  and  of  fraud.     See  Canto  XL 


4  HELL. 

"  Art  thou  then  that  Virgil  and  that  fount  which 
poureth  forth  so  large  a  stream  of  speech?"  re- 
plied I  to  him  with  bashful  front :  "  O  honor  and 
light  of  the  other  poets !  may  the  long  zeal  avail 
me,  and  the  great  love,  which  have  made  me  search 
thy  volume  !  Thou  art  my  master  and  my  author ; 
thou  alone  art  he  from  whom  I  took  the  fair  style 
that  hath  done  me  honor.  Behold  the  beast  because 
of  which  I  turned ;  help  me  against  her,  famous 
sage,  for  she  makes  my  veins  and  pulses  tremble." 
"  Thee  it  behoves  to  hold  another  course,"  he  re- 
plied, when  he  saw  me  weeping,  "  if  thou  wishest  to 
escape  from  this  savage  place ;  for  this  beast,  be- 
cause of  which  thou  criest  out,  lets  not  any  one  pass 
along  her  way,  but  so  hinders  him  that  she  kills 
him ;  and  she  has  a  nature  so  malign  and  evil  that 
she  never  sates  her  greedy  will,  and  after  food  is 
hungrier  than  before.  Many  are  the  animals  with 
which  she  wives,  and  there  shall  be  more  yet,  till 
the  hound  ^  shall  come  that  will  make  her  die  of 
grief.  He  shall  not  feed  on  land  or  goods,  but  wis- 
dom and  love  and  valor,  and  his  birthplace  shall  be 
between  Feltro  and  Feltro.     Of  that  humble  ^  Italy 

1  Of  -whom  the  honud  is  the  symbol,  and  to  •whom  Dante  looked 
for  the  deliverance  of  Italy  from  the  discords  and  misrule  that 
made  her  wretched,  is  still  matter  of  doubt,  after  centuries  of 
eontroversy. 

'  Fallen,  humiliated. 


CANTO  L  6 

shall  he  be  the  salvation,  for  which  the  virgin  Ca- 
milla died,  and  Euryalus,  Turnus  and  Nisus  of  their 
wounds.  He  shall  hunt  her  through  every  town 
till  he  shall  have  set  her  back  in  hell,  there  whence 
envy  first  sent  her  forth.  Wherefore  I  think  and 
deem  it  for  thy  best  that  thou  follow  me,  and  I 
will  be  thy  guide,  and  will  lead  thee  hence  through 
the  eternal  place  where  thou  shalt  hear  the  despair- 
ing shrieks,  shalt  see  the  ancient  spirits  woeful  who 
each  proclaim  the  second  death.  And  then  thou 
shalt  see  those  who  are  contented  in  the  fire,  be- 
cause they  hope  to  come,  whenever  it  may  be,  to 
the  blessed  folk  ;  to  whom  if  thou  wilt  thereafter 
ascend,  there  shall  be  a  soul  more  worthy  than  I 
for  that.  With  her  I  will  leave  thee  at  my  depar- 
ture ;  for  that  Emperor  who  reigneth  thereabove, 
because  I  was  rebellious  to  His  law,  wills  not  that 
into  His  city  any  one  should  come  through  me. 
In  all  parts  He  governs  and  there  He  reigns :  there 
is  His  city  and  His  lofty  seat.  O  happy  he  whom 
thereto  He  elects  !  "  And  I  to  him,  "  Poet,  I  be- 
seech thee  by  that  God  whom  thou  didst  not  know, 
in  order  that  I  may  escape  this  ill  and  worse,  that 
thou  lead  me  thither  where  thou  now  hast  said,  so 
that  I  may  see  the  gate  of  St.  Peter,  and  those 
whom  thou  makest  so  afflicted." 

Then  he  moved  on,  and  I  behind  him  kept. 


CANTO  II. 

Dante,  doubtful  of  his  own  powers,  is  discouraged  at  the 
outset.  Virgil  cheers  him  by  telling  him  that  he  has  been 
sent  to  his  aid  by  a  blessed  Spirit  from  Heaven.  Dante  casts 
off  fear,  and  the  poets  proceed. 

The  day  was  going,  and  the  dusky  air  was  tak- 
ing the  living  things  that  are  on  earth  from  tlieir 
fatigues,  and  I  alone  was  preparing  to  sustain  the 
war  alike  of  the  road,  and  of  the  woe  which  the 
mind  that  erreth  not  shaU  retrace.  O  Muses,  O 
lofty  genius,  now  assist  me  I  O  mind  that  didst 
inscribe  that  which  I  saw,  here  shall  thy  nobility 
appear  !     I  began  :  — 

"  Poet,  that  guidest  me,  consider  my  virtue,  if  it 
is  sufficient,  ere  to  the  deep  pass  thou  trustest  nie. 
Thou  sayest  that  the  parent  of  Silvius  while  still 
corruptible  went  to  the  immortal  world  and  was 
there  in  the  body.  Wherefore  if  the  Adversary  of 
every  ill  was  then  courteous,  thinking  on  the  high 
effect  that  should  proceed  from  him,  and  on  the 
Who  and  the  What,^  it  seemeth  not  unmeet  to  the 
man  of  understanding ;  for  in  the  empyreal  heaven 
he  had  been  chosen  for  father  of  revered  Borne  and 

^  Who  he  was,  and  what  should  result. 


CANTO  II.  7 

of  her  empire ;  both  which  (to  say  truth  indeed) 
were  ordained  for  the  holy  place  where  the  suc- 
cessor of  the  greater  Peter  hath  his  seat.  Through 
this  going,  whereof  thou  givest  him  vaunt,  he 
learned  things  which  were  the  cause  of  his  victory 
and  of  the  papal  mantle.  Afterward  the  Chosen 
Vessel  went  thither  to  bring  thence  comfort  to  that 
faith  which  is  the  beginning  of  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. But  I,  why  go  I  thither  ?  or  who  concedes 
it  ?  I  am  not  Aeneas,  I  am  not  Paul ;  me  worthy 
of  this,  neither  I  nor  others  think  ;  wherefore  if  I 
give  myself  up  to  go,  I  fear  lest  the  going  may  be 
mad.  Thou  art  wise,  thou  understandest  better 
than  1  speak." 

And  as  is  he  who  unwills  what  he  willed,  and 
because  of  new  thoughts  changes  his  design,  so  that 
he  quite  withdraws  from  beginning,  such  I  became 
on  that  dark  hillside  :  wherefore  in  my  thought  I 
abandoned  the  enterprise  which  had  been  so  hasty 
in  the  beginning:. 

"  If  I  have  rightly  understood  thy  speech,"  re- 
plied that  shade  of  the  magnanimous  one,  "  thy 
soul  is  hurt  by  cpwardice,  which  oftentimes  en- 
cumbereth  a  man  so  that  it  turns  him  back  from 
honorable  enterprise,  as  false  seeing  does  a  beast 
when  it  is  startled.  In  order  that  thou  loose  thee 
from  this  fear  I  will  tell  thee  wherefore  I  have 
come,  and  what  I  heard  at  the  first  moment  that  I 


8  HELL. 

grieved  for  thee.  I  was  among  those  who  are  sus- 
pended,^ and  a  Lady  called  me,  so  blessed  and 
beautiful  that  I  besought  her  to  command.  Her 
eyes  were  more  lucent  than  the  star,  and  she  began 
to  speak  to  me  sweet  and  low,  with  angelic  voice, 
in  her  own  tongue :  '  O  courteous  Mantuan  soul, 
of  whom  the  fame  yet  lasteth  in  the  world,  and 
shall  last  so  long  as  the  world  endureth !  a  friend 
of  mine  and  not  of  fortune  upon  the  desert  hill- 
side is  so  hindered  on  his  road  that  he  has  turned 
for  fear,  and  I  am  afraid,  through  that  which  I  have 
heard  of  him  in  heaven,  lest  already  he  be  so  astray 
that  I  may  have  risen  late  to  his  succor.  Now 
do  thou  move,  and  with  thy  speech  ornate,  and  with 
whatever  is  needful  for  his  deliverance,  assist  him 
so  that  I  may  be  consoled  for  him.  I  am  Beatrice 
who  make  thee  go.  I  come  from  a  place  whither  I 
desire  to  return.  Love  moved  me,  and  makes  me 
speak.  When  I  shall  be  before  my  Lord,  I  will 
commend  thee  often  unto  Him.'  Then  she  was 
silent,  and  thereon  I  began :  '  O  Lady  of  Virtue, 
thou  alone  through  whom  the  human  race  surpass- 
eth  all  contained  within  that  Jieaven  which  hath 
the  smallest  circles !  ^  so  pleasing  unto  me  is  thy 
command  that  to  obey  it,  were  it  already  done, 
were  slow  to  me.     Thou  hast  no  need  further  to 

^  In  Limbo,  neither  in  Hell  nor  Heaven. 

^  The  heaven  of  the  moon,  nearest  to  the  earth. 


CANTO  n.  9 

open  unto  me  thy  will ;  but  tell  me  the  cause  why 
thou  guardest  not  thyself  from  descending  down 
here  into  this  centre,  from  the  ample  place  whither 
thou  burnest  to  return.'  '  Since  thou  wishest  to 
know  so  inwardly,  I  will  tell  thee  briefly,'  she  re- 
plied to  me,  *  wherefore^  I  fear  not  to  come  here 
within.  One  ought  to  fear  those  things  only  that 
have  power  of  doing  harm,  the  others  not,  for  they 
are  not  dreadful.  I  am  made  by  God,  thanks  be 
to  Him,  such  that  your  misery  toucheth  me  not, 
nor  doth  the  flame  of  this  burning  assail  me.  A 
gentle  Lady  ^  is  in  heaven  who  hath  pity  for  this 
hindrance  whereto  I  send  thee,  so  that  stern  judg- 
ment there  above  she  breaketh.  She  summoned 
Lucia  in  her  request,  and  said,  "  Thy  faithful  one 
now  hath  need  of  thee,  and  unto  thee  I  commend 
him."  Lucia,  the  foe  of  every  cruel  one,  rose  and 
came  to  the  place  where  I  was,  seated  with  the  an- 
cient Rachel.  She  said,  "  Beatrice,  true  praise  of 
God,  why  dost  thou  not  succor  him  who  so  loved 
thee  that  for  thee  he  came  forth  from  the  vulgar 
throng  ?  Dost  thou  not  hear  the  pity  of  his  plaint  ? 
Dost  thou  not  see  the  death  that  combats  him  be- 
side the  stream  whereof  the  sea  hath  no  vaunt  ?  " 
In  the  world  never  were  persons  swift  to  seek 
their  good,  and  to  fly  their  harm,  as  I,  after  these 
words  were  uttered,  came  here  below,  from  my 

^  The  Virgin. 


10  BELL. 

blessed  seat,  putting  my  trust  in  thy  upright  speech, 
which  honors  thee  and  them  who  have  heard  it.' 
After  she  had  said  this  to  me,  weeping  she  turned 
her  lucent  eyes,  whereby  she  made  me  more  speedy 
in  coming.  And  I  came  to  thee  as  she  willed. 
Thee  have  I  delivered  from  that  wild  beast  that 
took  from  thee  the  short  ascent  of  the  beautiful 
mountain.  What  is  it  then?  Why,  why  dost 
thou  hold  back?  why  dost  thou  harbor  such  cow- 
ardice in  thy  heart  ?  why  hast  thou  not  daring  and 
boldness,  since  three  blessed  Ladies  care  for  thee 
in  the  court  of  Heaven,  and  my  speech  pledges 
thee  such  good  ?  " 

As  flowerets,  bent  and  closed  by  the  chill  of 
night,  after  the  sun  shines  on  them  straighten 
themselves  all  open  on  their  stem,  so  I  became  with 
my  weak  virtue,  and  such  good  daring  hastened  to 
my  heart  that  I  began  like  one  enfranchised  :  "  Oh 
compassionate  she  who  succored  me !  and  thou  cour- 
teous who  didst  speedily  obey  the  true  words  that 
she  addressed  to  thee !  Thou  by  thy  words  hast  so 
disposed  my  heart  with  desire  of  going,  that  I  have 
returned  unto  my  first  intent.  Go  on  now,  for  one 
sole  vnll  is  in  us  both :  Thou  Leader,  thou  Lord,  and 
thou  Master."  Thus  I  said  to  him ;  and  when  he 
had  moved  on,  I  entered  along  the  deep  and  savage 
road. 


CANTO  III. 

The  gate  of  Hell.  Virgil  leads  Dante  in.  The  punishment 
of  the  neither  good  nor  bad.  Acheron,  and  the  sinners  on 
its  bank.     Charon.     Earthquake.     Dante  swoons. 

"  Through  me  is  the  way  into  the  woeful  city ; 
through  me  is  the  way  into  eternal  woe ;  through 
me  is  the  way  among  the  lost  people.  Justice 
moved  my  lofty  maker :  the  divine  Power,  the  su- 
preme Wisdom  and  the  primal  Love  made  me. 
Before  me  were  no  things  created,  unless  eternal, 
and  I  eternal  last.  Leave  every  hope,  ye  who 
enter ! " 

These  words  of  color  obscure  I  saw  written  at 
the  top  of  a  gate ;  whereat  I,  "  Master,  their  mean- 
ing is  dire  to  me." 

And  he  to  me,  like  one  who  knew,  "  Here  it 
behoves  to  leave  every  fear ;  it  behoves  that  all 
cowardice  shoidd  here  be  dead.  We  have  come  to 
the  place  where  I  have  told  thee  that  thou  shalt 
see  the  woeful  people,  who  have  lost  the  good  of  the 
understanding." 

And  when  he  had  put  his  hand  on  mine,  with  a 
glad  countenance,  wherefrom  I  took  courage,  he 
brought  me  within  the  secret  things.     Here  sighs, 


12  HELL. 

laments,  and  deep  wailings  were  resounding  through 
the  starless  air ;  wherefore  at  first  T  wept  thereat. 
Strange  tongues,  horrible  cries,  words  of  woe,  ac- 
cents of  anger,  voices  high  and  hoarse,  and  sounds 
of  hands  with  them,  were  making  a  tumult  which 
whirls  forever  in  that  air  dark  without  change, 
like  the  sand  when  the  whirlwind  breathes. 

And  I,  who  had  my  head  girt  with  horror,  said, 
"  Master,  what  is  it  that  I  hear  ?  and  what  folk 
are  they  who  seem  in  woe  so  vanquished  ?  " 

And  he  to  me,  "This  miserable  measure  the 
wretched  souls  maintain  of  those  who  lived  without 
infamy  and  without  praise.  Mingled  are  they  with 
that  caitiff  choir  of  the  angels,  who  were  not  rebels, 
nor  were  faithful  to  God,  but  were  for  themselves. 
The  heavens  chased  them  out  in  order  to  be  not 
less  beautiful,  nor  doth  the  depth  of  Hell  receive 
them,  because  the  damned  would  have  some  glory 
from  them." 

And  I,  "  Master,  what  is  so  grievous  to  them, 
that  makes  them  lament  so  bitterly  ?  " 

He  answered,  "  I  will  tell  thee  very  briefly. 
These  have  no  hope  of  death  ;  and  their  blind  life 
is  so  debased,  that  they  are  envious  of  every  other 
lot.  Fame  of  them  the  world  permitteth  not  to  be ; 
mercy  and  justice  disdain  them.  Let  us  not  speak 
of  them,  but  do  thou  look  and  pass  on." 

And  I,  who  was  gazing,  saw  a  banner,  that  whirl- 


CANTO  III.  13 

ing  ran  so  swiftly  that  it  seemed  to  me  to  scorn  all 
repose,  and  behind  it  came  so  long  a  train  of  folk, 
that  I  could  never  have  believed  death  had  un- 
done so  many.  After  I  had  distinguished  some 
among  them,  I  saw  and  knew  the  shade  of  him  who 
made,  through  cowardice,  the  great  refusal.  ^  At 
once  I  understood  and  was  certain,  that  this  was 
the  sect  of  the  caitiffs  displeasing  unto  God,  and 
unto  his  enemies.  These  wretches,  who  never  were 
alive,  were  naked,  and  much  stung  by  gad-flies  and 
by  wasps  that  were  there.  These  streaked  their 
faces  with  blood,  which,  mingled  with  tears,  was 
harvested  at  their  feet  by  loathsome  worms. 

And  when  I  gave  myself  to  looking  onward,  I 
saw  people  on  the  bank  of  a  great  river ;  wherefore 
I  said,  "  Master,  now  grant  to  me  that  I  may  know 
who  these  are,  and  what  rule  makes  them  appear  so 
ready  to  pass  over,  as  I  discern  through  the  faint 
light."  And  he  to  me,  "  The  things  will  be  clear  to 
thee,  when  we  shall  set  our  steps  on  the  sad  marge 
of  Acheron."  Then  with  eyes  bashful  and  cast 
down,  fearing  lest  my  speech  had  been  irksome  to 
him,  far  as  to  the  river  I  refrained  from  speaking. 

And  lo !    coming  toward  us   in  a   boat,  an  old 

man,  white  with  ancient  hair,  crying,  "  Woe  to  you, 

wicked   souls !    hope  not   ever  to   see   Heaven !  I 

come  to  carry  you  to  the  other  bank,  into  eternal 

1  Who  is  intended  by  these  words  is  uncertain. 


14  HELL. 

darkness,  to  heat  and  frost.  And  thou  who  art 
there,  living  soul,  depart  from  these  that  are  dead." 
But  when  he  saw  that  I  did  not  depart,  he  said, 
"  By  another  way,  by  other  ports  thou  shalt  come 
to  the  shore,  not  here,  for  passage ;  it  behoves  that 
a  lighter  bark  bear  thee."  ^ 

And  my  Leader  to  him,  "  Charon,  vex  not  thyself, 
it  is  thus  willed  there  where  is  power  to  do  that 
which  is  willed  ;  and  farther  ask  not."  Then  the 
fleecy  cheeks  were  quiet  of  the  pilot  of  the  livid 
marsh,  who  round  about  his  eyes  had  wheels  of 
flame. 

But  those  souls,  who  were  weary  and  naked, 
changed  color,  and  gnashed  their  teeth  soon  as 
they  heard  his  cruel  words.  They  blasphemed  God 
and  their  parents,  the  human  race,  the  place,  the 
time  and  the  seed  of  their  sowing  and  of  their 
birth.  Then,  bitterly  weeping,  they  drew  back  all 
of  them  together  to  the  evil  bank,  that  waits  for 
every  man  who  fears  not  God.  Charon  the  demon, 
with  eyes  of  glowing  coal,  beckoning  them,  collects 
them  all ;  he  beats  with  his  oar  whoever  lingers. 

As  in  autumn  the  leaves  fall  off  one  after  the 
other,  till  the  bough  sees  all  its  spoils  upon  the 
earth,  in  like  wise  the  evil  seed  of  Adam  throw 
themselves  from  that  shore  one  by  one  at  signals, 

^  The  boat  that  bears  the  souls  to  Purgatory.  Charon  recog- 
nizes that  Dante  is  not  among  the  damned. 


CANTO  III.  15 

as  the  bird  at  his  call.  Thus  they  go  over  the 
dusky  wave,  and  before  they  have  landed  on  the  far- 
ther side,  already  on  this  a  new  throng  is  gathered. 

"  My  son,"  said  the  courteous  Master,  "  those 
who  die  in  the  wrath  of  God,  all  meet  together  here 
from  every  land.  And  they  are  eager  to  pass  over 
the  stream,  for  the  divine  justice  spurs  them,  so  that 
fear  is  turned  to  desire.  This  way  a  good  soul 
never  passes ;  and  therefore  if  Charon  snarleth  at 
thee,  thou  now  mayest  well  know  what  his  speech 
signifies." 

This  ended,  the  dark  plain  trembled  so  mightily, 
that  the  memory  of  the  terror  even  now  bathes  me 
with  sweat.  The  tearful  land  gave  forth  a  wind 
that  flashed  a  vermilion  light  which  vanquished 
every  sense  of  mine,  and  I  fell  as  a  man  whom 
slumber  seizes. 


CANTO  IV. 

The  further  side  of  Acheron.  Virgil  leads  Dante  into 
Limbo,  the  First  Circle  of  Hell,  containing  the  spirits  of  those 
who  lived  virtuously  but  without  Christianity.  Greeting  of 
Virgil  by  his  fellow  poets.  They  enter  a  castle,  where  are 
the  shades  of  ancient  worthies.     Virgil  and  Dante  depart. 

A  HEAVY  thunder  broke  the  deep  sleep  in  my 
head,  so  that  I  started  up  like  a  person  who  by 
force  is  wakened.  And  risen  erect,  I  moved  my 
rested  eye  round  about,  and  looked  fixedly  to  dis- 
tinguish the  place  where  I  was.  True  it  is,  that  I 
found  myself  on  the  verge  of  the  valley  of  the  woe- 
ful abyss  that  gathers  in  thunder  of  infinite  wail- 
ings.  Dark,  profound  it  was,  and  cloudy,  so  that 
though  I  fixed  my  sight  on  the  bottom  I  did  not 
discern  anything  there. 

*'  Now  we  descend  down  here  into,  the  blind 
world,"  began  the  Poet  all  deadly  pale,  "  I  will  be 
first,  and  thou  shalt  be  second." 

And  I,  who  had  observed  his  color,  said,  "  How 
shall  I  come,  if  thou  fearest,  who  art  wont  to 
be  a  comfort  to  my  doubting  ?  "  And  he  to  me, 
"  The  anguish  of  the  folk  who  are  down  here  de- 


CANTO  IV.  17 

picts  upon  my  face  that  pity  which  thou  takest  for 
fear.     Let  ite  go  on,  for  the  long  way  urges  us." 

So  he  set  forth,  and  so  he  made  me  enter  within 
the  first  circle  that  girds  the  abyss.  Here,  so  far 
as  could  be  heard,  there  was  no  plaint  but  that 
of  sighs  which  made  the  eternal  air  to  tremble : 
this  came  of  the  woe  without  torments  felt  by  the 
crowds,  which  were  many  and  great,  of  infants  and 
of  women  and  of  men. 

The  good  Master  to  me,  "Thou  dost  not  ask 
what  spirits  are  these  that  thou  seest.  Now  I  would 
have  thee  know,  before  thou  goest  farther,  that 
they  sinned  not ;  and  if  they  have  merits  it  sufficeth 
not,  because  they  had  not  baptism,  which  is  part  of 
the  faith  that  thou  belie  vest ;  and  if  they  were  be- 
fore Christianity,  they  did  not  duly  worship  God  : 
and  of  such  as  these  am  I  myself.  Through  such 
defects,  and  not  through  other  guilt,  are  we  lost, 
and  only  so  far  harmed  that  without  hope  we  live 
in  desire." 

Great  woe  seized  me  at  my  heart  when  I  heard 
him,  because  I  knew  that  people  of  much  worth 
were  suspended  in  that  limbo.  "  Tell  me,  my  Mas- 
ter, tell  me.  Lord,"  began  I,  with  wish  to  be  as- 
sured of  that  faith  which  vanquishes  every  error,^ 
"  did  ever  any  one  who  afterwards  was  blessed  go 

^  Wishing  especially  to  be  assured  in  regard  to  the  descent  of 
Chmt  into  Hell. 


18  HELL. 

out  from  here,  either  by  his  own  or  by  another's 
merit  ? "  And  he,  who  understood*  my  covert 
speech,  answered,  "  I  was  new  in  this  state  when 
I  saw  a  Mighty  One  come  hither  crowned  with 
sign  of  victory.  He  drew  out  hence  the  shade  of 
the  first  parent,  of  Abel  his  son,  and  that  of  Noah, 
of  Moses  the  law-giver  and  obedient,  Abraham  the 
patriarch,  and  David  the  King,  Israel  with  his 
father,  and  with  his  offspring,  and  with  Rachel,  for 
whom  he  did  so  much,  and  others  many ;  and  He 
made  them  blessed  :  and  I  would  have  thee  know 
that  before  these,  human  spirits  were  not  saved." 

We  ceased  not  going  on  because  he  spoke,  but  all 
the  while  were  passing  through  the  wood,  the  wood 
I  mean  of  crowded  spirits.  Nor  yet  had  our  way 
been  long  from  where  I  slept,  when  I  saw  a  fire, 
that  conquered  a  hemisphere  of  darkness.  We 
were  still  a  little  distant  from  it,  yet  not  so  far  that 
I  could  not  partially  discern  that  honorable  folk 
possessed  that  place.  "  O  thou  that  honorest  both 
science  and  art,  these,  who  are  they,  that  have  such 
honor  that  from  the  condition  of  the  others  it  sets 
them  apart  ? "  And  he  to  me,  "  The  honorable 
fame  of  them  which  resounds  above  in  thy  life  wins 
grace  in  heaven  that  so  advances  them."  At  this 
a  voice  was  heard  by  me,  "  Honor  the  loftiest  Poet  I 
his  shade  returns  that  was  departed."  When  the 
voice  had  ceased  and  was  quiet,  I  saw  four  great 


CANTO  IV.  19 

shades  coming  to  us  :  they  had  a  semblance  neither 
sad  nor  glad.  The  good  Master  began  to  say, 
"  Look  at  him  with  that  sword  in  hand  who  coraeth 
before  the  three,  even  as  lord.  He  is  Homer,  the 
sovereign  poet ;  the  next  who  comes  is  Horace,  the 
satirist ;  Ovid  is  the  third,  and  the  last  is  Lucan. 
Since  each  shares  with  me  the  name  that  the  sin- 
gle voice  sounded,  they  do  me  honor,  and  in  that 
do  weU." 

Thus  I  saw  assembled  the  fair  school  of  that 
Lord  of  the  loftiest  song  which  above  the  others  as 
an  eagle  flies.  After  they  had  discoursed  some- 
what together,  they  turned  to  me  with  sign  of  sal- 
utation ;  and  my  Master  smiled  thereat.  And  far 
more  of  honor  yet  they  did  me,  for  they  made  me 
of  their  band,  so  that  I  was  the  sixth  amid  so  much 
wit.  Thus  we  went  on  as  far  as  the  light,  speak- 
ing things  concerning  which  silence  is  becoming, 
even  as  was  speech  there  where  I  was. 

We  came  to  the  foot  of  a  noble  castle,  seven 
times  circled  by  high  walls,  defended  round  about 
by  a  fair  streamlet.  This  we  passed  as  if  hard 
ground ;  through  seven  gates  I  entered  with  these 
sages ;  we  came  to  a  meadow  of  fresh  verdure. 
People  were  there  with  eyes  slow  and  grave,  of 
great  authority  in  their  looks  ;  they  spake  seldom, 
and  with  soft  voices.  Thus  we  drew  apart,  on  one 
side,  into  a  place  open,  luminous,  and  high,  so  that 


20  HELL. 

they  all  could  be  seen.  There  opposite  upon  the 
gTeen  enamel  were  shown  to  me  the  great  spirits, 
whom  to  have  seen  I  inwardly  exalt  myself o 

I  saw  Eleetra  with  many  companions,  among 
whom  I  knew  both  Hector  and  ^neas,  Caesar  in 
armor,  with  his  gerfalcon  eyes  ;  I  saw  Camilla  and 
Penthesilea  on  the  othei-  side,  and  I  saw  the  King 
Latinus,  who  was  seated  with  Lavinia  his  daughter. 
I  saw  that  Brutus  who  drove  out  Tarquin ;  Lucre- 
tia,  Julia,  Marcia,  and  Cornelia ;  and  alone,  apart, 
I  saw  the  Saladin.  When  I  raised  my  brow  a  little 
more,  I  saw  the  Master  of  those  who  know,  seated 
amid  the  philosophic  family  ;  all  regard  him,  all  do 
him  honor.  Here  I  saw  both  Socrates  and  Plato, 
who  before  the  others  stand  nearest  to  him  ;  Demo- 
critus,  who  ascribes  the  world  to  chance ;  Diogenes, 
Anaxagoras,  and  Thales,  Empedocles,  Heraclitus, 
and  Zeno  ;  and  I  saw  the  good  collector  of  the  quali- 
ties, Dioscorides,  I  mean ;  and  I  saw  Orj)heus,  TuUy, 
and  Linus,  and  moral  Seneca,  Euclid  the  geometer, 
and  Ptolemy,  Hippocrates,  Avicenna,  Galen,  and 
Averrhoes,  who  made  the  great  comment.  I  can- 
not report  of  all  in  full,  because  the  long  theme  so 
drives  me  that  many  times  speech  comes  short  of 
fact. 

The  company  of  six  is  reduced  to  two.  By  an- 
other way  the  wise  guide  leads  me,  out  from  the 
quiet,  into  the  air  that  trembles,  and  I  come  into  a 
region  where  is  nothing  that  can  give  light. 


CANTO  V. 

The  Second  Circle,  that  of  Carnal  Sinners.  —  Minos.  — 
Shades  renowned  of  old.  —  Francesca  da  Rimini. 

Thus  I  descended  from  the  first  circle  down  into 
the  second,  which  girdles  less  space,  and  so  much 
more  woe  that  it  goads  to  wailing.  There  abides 
Minos  horribly,  and  snarls  ;  he  examines  the  sins 
at  the  entrance  ;  he  judges,  and  he  sends  accord- 
ing as  he  entwines  himseK.  I  mean,  that,  when 
the  miscreant  spirit  comes  there  before  him,  it 
confesses  itself  wholly,  and  that  discemer  of  sins 
sees  what  place  of  Hell  is  for  it ;  he  girdles  himself 
with  his  tail  so  many  times  as  the  degrees  he  wills 
it  should  be  sent  down.  Always  before  him  stand 
many  of  them.  They  go,  in  turn,  each  to  the  judg- 
ment ;  they  speak,  and  hear,  and  then  are  whirled 
below. 

"O  thou  that  comest  to  the  woeful  inn,"  said 
Minos  to  me,  when  he  saw  me,  leaving  the  act  of 
so  great  an  office,  "  beware  how  thou  enterest,  and 
to  whom  thou  trustest  thyself ;  let  not  the  amplitude 
of  the  entrance  deceive  thee."     And  my  Leader  to 


22  HSLL. 

him,  "  Why  then  dost  thou  cry  out  ?  Hinder  not  his 
fated  going ;  thus  is  it  wUled  there  where  is  power 
to  do  that  which  is  willed ;  and  ask  thou  no  more." 

Now  the  woeful  notes  begin  to  make  themselves 
heard ;  now  am  I  come  where  much  lamentation 
smites  me.  I  had  come  into  a  place  mute  of  all 
light,  that  bellows  as  the  sea  does  in  a  tempest,  if 
it  be  combated  by  opposing  winds.  The  infernal 
hurricane  that  never  rests  carries  along  the  spirits 
in  its  rapine ;  whirling  and  smiting  it  molests  them. 
When  they  arrive  before  its  rushing  blast,  here 
are  shrieks,  and  bewailing,  and  lamenting;  here 
they  blaspheme  the  power  divine.  I  understood 
that  to  such  torment  are  condemned  the  carnal 
sinners  who  subject  reason  to  appetite.  And  as 
their  wings  bear  along  the  starlings  in  the  cold 
season  in  a  troop  large  and  full,  so  that  blast  the 
evil  spirits ;  hither,  thither,  down,  irp  it  carries 
them  ;  no  hope  ever  comforts  them,  not  of  repose, 
but  even  of  less  pain. 

And  as  the  cranes  go  singing  their  lays,  making 
in  air  a  long  line  of  themselves,  so  saw  I  come,  ut- 
tering wails,  shades  borne  along  by  the  aforesaid 
strife.  Wherefore  I  said,  "  Master,  who  are  those 
folk  whom  the  black  air  so  castigates?"  "The 
first  of  these  of  whom  thou  wishest  to  have  know- 
ledge,"  said  he  to  me  then,  "  was  empress  of  many 
tongues.     To  the  vice  of  luxury  was  she  so  aban- 


CANTO  V.  23 

doned  that  lust  she  made  licit  in  her  law,  to  take 
away  the  blame  she  had  incurred.  She  is  Semi- 
ramis,  of  whom  it  is  read  that  she  succeeded  Ninus 
and  had  been  his  spouse  ;  she  held  the  land  which 
the  Soldan  rules.  That  other  is  she  who,  for  love, 
killed  herself,  and  broke  faith  to  the  ashes  of  Si- 
chaeus.  Next  is  Cleopatra,  the  luxurious.  See 
Helen,  for  whom  so  long  a  time  of  ill  revolved  ; 
and  see  the  great  Achilles,  who  at  the  end  fought 
with  love.  See  Paris,  Tristan,  —  "  and  more  than 
a  thousand  shades  he  showed  me  with  his  finger, 
and  named  them,  whom  love  had  parted  from  our 
life. 

After  I  had  heard  my  Teacher  name  the  dames  of 
eld  and  the  cavaliers,  pity  overcame  me,  and  I  was 
well  nigh  bewildered.  I  began,  "  Poet,  willingly 
would  I  speak  with  those  two  that  go  together,  and 
seem  to  be  so  light  upon  the  wind."  And  he  to 
me,  "  Thou  shalt  see  when  they  shall  be  nearer  to 
us,  and  do  thou  then  pray  them  by  that  love  which 
leads  them,  and  they  will  come."  Soon  as  the  wind 
sways  them  toward  us  I  lifted  my  voice,  "  O  weary 
souls,  come  speak  to  us,  if  One  forbid  it  not." 

As  doves,  called  by  desire,  with  wings  open  and 
steady,  fly  through  the  air  to  their  sweet  nest,  borne 
by  their  wiU,  these  issued  from  the  troop  where 
Dido  is,  coming  to  us  through  the  malign  air,  so 
strong  was  the  compassionate  cry. 


24  HELL. 

"  O  living  creature,  gracious  and  benign,  that 
goest  through  the  lurid  air  visiting  us  who  stained 
the  world  blood-red,  —  if  the  King  of  the  universe 
were  a  friend  we  would  pray  Him  for  thy  peace, 
since  thou  hast  pity  on  our  perverse  ill.  Of  what 
it  pleaseth  thee  to  hear,  and  what  to  speak,  we 
will  hear  and  we  will  speak  to  you,  while  the 
wind,  as  now,  is  hushed  for  us.  The  city  where  I 
was  born  sits  upon  the  sea-shore,  where  the  Po,  with 
its  followers,  descends  to  have  peace.  Love,  that 
on  gentle  heart  quickly  lays  hold,  seized  him  for 
the  fair  person  that  was  taken  from  me,  and 
the  mode  still  hurts  me.  Love,  which  absolves  no 
loved  one  from  loving,  seized  me  for  the  pleasing 
of  him  so  strongly  that,  as  thou  seest,  it  does  not 
even  now  abandon  me.  Love  brought  us  to  one 
death.  Caina  awaits  him  who  quenched  our  life." 
These  words  were  borne  to  us  from  them. 

Soon  as  I  had  heard  those  injured  souls  I  bowed 
my  face,  and  held  it  down,  until  the  Poet  said  to  me, 
"  What  art  thou  thinking  ?  "  When  I  replied,  I 
began,  "  Alas !  how  many  sweet  thoughts,  how 
great  desire,  led  these  unto  the  woeful  pass." 
Then  I  turned  me  again  to  them,  and  I  spoke,  and 
began,  "  Francesca,  thy  torments  make  me  sad  and 
piteous  to  weeping.  But  tell  me,  at  the  time  of 
the  sweet  sighs  by  what  and  how  did  love  concede 
to  you  to  know  the  dubious  desires  ?  "     And  she  to 


CANTO  V.  25 

me,  "  There  is  no  greater  woe  than  in  misery  to 
remember  the  happy  time,  and  that  thy  Teacher 
knows.  But  if  to  know  the  first  root  of  our  love 
thou  hast  so  great  a  longing,  I  will  do  like  one 
who  weeps  and  tells. 

"  We  were  reading  one  day,  for  delight,  of 
Lancelot,  how  love  constrained  him.  We  were 
alone  and  without  any  suspicion.  Many  times  that 
reading  made  Xis  lift  our  eyes,  and  took  the  color 
from  our  faces,  but  only  one  point  was  that  which 
overcame  us.  When  we  read  of  the  longed-for 
smile  being  kissed  by  such  a  lover,  this  one,  who 
never  from  me  shall  be  divided,  kissed  my  mouth 
all  trembling.  Galahaut  was  the  book,  and  he  who 
wrote  it.     That  day  we  read  in  it  no  farther."  ^ 

While  one  spirit  said  this  the  other  was  weeping 
so  that  through  pity  I  swooned,  as  if  I  had  been 
dying,  and  fell  as  a  dead  body  falls. 

^  In  the  Komance,  it  was  Galahaut  that  prevailed  on  Guinevere 
to  give  a  kiss  to  Lancelot. 


CANTO  VI. 

The  Third  Circle,  that  of  the  Gluttonous.  —  Cerberus.  — 
Ciacco. 

When  the  mind  returned,  which  closed  itself  be- 
fore the  pity  of  these  two  kinsfolk,  that  had  all 
confounded  me  with  sadness,  new  torments  and 
new  tormented  souls  I  see  around  me  wherever 
I  move,  and  howsoever  I  turn,  and  wherever  I 
gaze. 

I  am  in  the  third  circle,  that  of  the  rain  eternal, 
accursed,  cold,  and  heavy.  Its  rule  and  quality 
are  never  new.  Coarse  hail,  and  foul  water  and 
snow  pour  down  through  the  tenebrous  air ;  the 
earth  that  receives  them  stinks.  Cerberus,  a  beast 
cruel  and  monstrous,  with  three  throats  barks  dog- 
like above  the  people  that  are  here  submerged.  He 
has  vermilion  eyes,  and  a  greasy  and  black  beard, 
and  a  big  belly,  and  hands  armed  with  claws  :  he 
tears  the  spirits,  flays  them,  and  rends  them.  The 
rain  makes  them  howl  like  dogs ;  of  one  of  their 
sides  they  make  a  screen  for  the  other  ;  the  profane 
wretches  often  turn  themselves. 

When  Cerberus,  the  great  worm,  observed   us 


CANTO  VI.  27 

he  opened  his  mouths,  and  showed  his  fangs  to  us ; 
not  a  limb  had  he  that  he  kept  quiet.  And  my 
Leader  opened  wide  his  hands,  took  some  earth,  and 
with  full  fists,  threw  it  into  the  ravenous  gullets. 
As  the  dog  that  barking  craves,  and  becomes  quiet 
when  he  bites  his  food,  and  is  intent  and  fights 
only  to  devour  it,  such  became  those  filthy  faces  of 
the  demon  Cerberus,  who  so  thunders  at  the  souls 
that  they  would  fain  be  deaf. 

We  were  passing  over  the  shades  whom  the  heavy 
rain  subdues,  and  were  setting  our  feet  upon  their 
vain  show  that  seems  a  body.  They  all  of  them 
lay  upon  the  ground,  except  one  who  raised  himself 
to  sit,  quickly  as  he  saw  us  passing  before  him. 
"  O  thou  who  art  led  through  this  HeU,"  he  said 
to  me,  "  recognize  me,  if  thou  canst ;  thou  wast 
made  before  I  was  unmade."  And  I  to  him,  "  The 
anguish  which  thou  hast  perchance  withdraws  thee 
from  my  memory,  so  that  it  seems  not  that  I  ever 
saw  thee.  But  tell  me  who  thou  art,  that  in  a 
place  so  woeful  art  set,  and  with  such  a  punishment, 
that  if  any  other  is  greater  none  is  so  displeasing." 
And  he  to  me,  "  Thy  city  which  is  so  full  of  envy, 
that  already  the  sack  runs  over,  held  me  in  it,  in 
the  serene  life.  You  citizens  called  me  Ciacco;^ 
for  the  damnable  sin  of  gluttony,  as  thou  seest,  I 
am  broken  by  the  rain.     And  I,  wretched  soul,  am 

^  Ciacco,  in  popular  speech,  siguiiies  a  hog. 


28  HELL. 

not  alone,  for  all  these  endure  like  punishment,  for 
like  sin,"  and  more  he  said  not.  I  answered  him, 
"  Ciacco,  thy  trouble  so  weighs  upon  me,  that  it  in- 
vites me  to  weeping  ;  but  tell  me,  if  thou  canst,  to 
what  will  come  the  citizens  of  the  divided  city ;  if 
any  one  in  it  is  just ;  and  tell  me  the  reason  why 
such  great  discord  has  assailed  it." 

And  he  to  me,  "  After  long  contention  they  will 
come  to  blood,  and  the  savage  party  will  chase  out 
the  other  with  great  injury.  Thereafter  within 
three  suns  it  behoves  this  to  fall,  and  the  other 
to  surmount  through  the  force  of  one  who  even 
now  is  tacking.  It  will  hold  high  its  front  long 
time,  keeping  the  other  under  heavy  burdens,  how- 
ever it  may  lament  and  be  shamed  thereat.  Two 
men  are  just,  but  there  they  are  not  heeded  ;  Pride, 
Envy,  Avarice  are  the  three  sparks  that  have  in- 
flamed their  hearts."^  Here  he  set  end  imto  the 
lamentable  sound. 

And  I  to  him,  "  Still  I  would  that  thou  teach  me, 
and  that  of  more  speech  thou  make  a  gift  to  me. 
Farinata  and  the  Tegghiaio  who  were  so  worthy, 
Jacopo  Rusticucci,  Arrigo,  and  the  Mosca,  and  the 

^  This  prophecy  relates  to  the  dissensions  and  violence  of  the 
parties  of  the  Whites  and  the  Blacks  by  which  Florence  was  rent. 
The  "savage  party"  was  that  of  the  Whites,  who  were  mainly 
Ghibellines.  The  "  one  who  even  now  is  tacking  "  was  the  Pope, 
Boniface  VIII.,  who  was  playing  fast  and  loose  with  both.  Who 
the  "  two  just  men  "  were  is  unknown. 


CANTO   VI.  29 

rest  who  set  their  minds  on  well-doing,  tell  me 
where  they  are,  and  cause  that  I  may  know  them, 
for  great  desire  constrains  me  to  learn  if  Heaven 
sweeten  them,  or  Hell  envenom." 

And  he,  "  They  are  among  the  blacker  souls  :  a 
different  sin  weighs  them  down  to  the  bottom ;  if 
thou  so  far  descendest,  thou  canst  see  them.  But 
when  thou  shalt  be  in  the  sweet  world  I  pray  thee 
that  thou  bring  me  to  the  memory  of  others.  More 
I  say  not  to  thee,  and  more  I  answer  thee  not." 
His  straight  eyes  he  twisted  then  awry,  looked  at 
me  a  little,  and  then  bent  his  head,  and  fell  with 
it  level  with  the  other  blind. 

And  the  Leader  said  to  me,  "  He  wakes  no  more 
this  side  the  soimd  of  the  angelic  trump.  When 
the  hostile  Sovereign  shall  come,  each  one  will  find 
again  his  dismal  tomb,  will  take  again  his  flesh 
and  his  shape,  will  hear  that  which  through  eter- 
nity reechoes." 

Thus  we  passed  along  with  slow  steps  through  the 
foul  mixture  of  the  shades  and  of  the  rain,  touch- 
ing a  little  on  the  future  life.  Wherefore  I  said, 
"Master,  these  torments  will  they  increase  after 
the  great  sentence,  or  will  they  become  less,  or  will 
they  be  just  as  burning  ?  "  And  he  to  me,  "  Re- 
turn to  thy  science,  which  declares  that  the  more 
perfect  a  thing  is  the  more  it  feels  the  good,  and  so 
the  pain.     Though  this  accursed  people  never  can 


so  HELL. 

attain  to  true  perfection,  it  expects  thereafter  to  be 
more  than  now." 

We  took  a  circling  course  along  that  road,  speak- 
ing far  more  than  I  repeat ;  and  came  to  the  point 
where  the  descent  is.  Here  we  found  Pluto,^  the 
great  enemy. 

^  Pluto  appears  here  not  as  Hades,  the  god  of  the  lower  world, 
bat  in  his  character  as  the  giver  of  wealth. 


CANTO  VII. 

The  Fourth  Circle,  that  of  the  Avaricious  and  the  Prodi- 
gal. —  Pluto.  —  Fortune. 

The  Styx.  —  The  Fifth  Circle,  that  of  the  Wrathful  and 
the  Sullen. 

'•'' Pape  Satan,  pape  Satan  aleppe,'^ — began 
Pluto  with  his  clucking  voice.  And  that  gentle 
Sage,  who  knew  everything,  said  to  comfort  me, 
"  Let  not  thy  fear  hurt  thee  ;  for  whatso  power  he 
have  shall  not  take  from  thee  the  descent  of  this 
rock."  Then  he  turned  to  that  swollen  lip  and  said, 
"  Be  silent,  accursed  wolf !  inwardly  consume  thy- 
self with  thine  own  rage :  not  without  cause  is  this 
going  to  the  abyss ;  it  is  wiUed  on  high,  there 
where  Michael  did  vengeance  on  the  proud  adul- 
tery." ^  As  sails  swollen  by  the  wind  fall  in  a  heap 
when  the  mast  snaps,  so  fell  to  earth  the  cruel 
beast. 

Thus  we  descended  into  the  fourth  hollow,  taking 
more  of  the  woeful  bank  that  gathers  in  the  evil  of 
the  whole  universe.  Ah,  Justice  of  God!  Who 
heapeth  up  so  many  new  travails  and  penalties  as 
I  saw?     And  why  doth  our  sin  so  waste  us?     As 

^  Adultery,  in  the  sense  of  infidelity  to  Gh)d. 


32  HELL. 

doth  the  wave,  yonder  upon  Charybdis,  which  is 
broken  on  that  which  it  encounters,  so  it  behoves 
that  here  the  people  counterdance. 

Here  saw  I  people  more  than  elsewhere  many, 
and  from  one  side  and  the  other  with  great  howls 
rolling  weights  by  force  of  chest.  They  struck 
against  each  other,  and  then  just  there  each  turned, 
rolling  backward,  crying,  "  Why  keepest  thou?  "  and 
"  Why  flingest  thou  away  ?  "  Thus  they  turned 
through  the  dark  circle  on  either  hand  to  the  oppo- 
site point,  still  crying  out  their  opprobrious  verse ; 
then  each,  when  he  had  come  through  his  half  cir- 
cle, wheeled  round  to  the  other  joust. 

And  I,  who  had  my  heart  weU-nigh  pierced 
through,  said,  "  My  Master,  now  declare  to  me  what 
folk  is  this,  and  if  all  these  tonsured  ones  on  our 
left  were  clerks." 

And  he  to  me,  "  All  of  these  were  so  asquint  in 
mind  in  the  first  life  that  they  made  no  spending 
there  with  measure.  Clearly  enough  their  voices 
bay  it  out,  when  they  come  to  the  two  points  of  the 
circle  where  the  contrary  sin  di\ades  them.  These 
were  clerks  who  have  no  hairy  covering  on  their 
head,  and  Popes  and  Cardinals,  in  whom  avarice 
practices  its  excess." 

And  I,  "  Master,  among  such  as  these  I  ought 
surely  to  recognize  some  who  were  polluted  with 
these  evils." 


CANTO   VII.  33 

And  he  to  me,  "Vain  thought  thou  harborest; 
the  undiscerning  life  that  made  them  foul,  to  all 
recognition  now  makes  them  dim.  Forever  will 
they  come  to  the  two  buttings ;  these  will  rise  from 
the  sepulchre  with  closed  fist,  and  these  with  shorn 
hair.  Ill-giving  and  ill-keeping  have  taken  from 
them  the  fair  world,  and  set  them  to  this  scuffle ; 
such  as  it  is,  I  adorn  not  words  for  it.  Now  canst 
thou,  son,  see  the  brief  jest  of  the  goods  that  are 
committed  unto  Fortune,  for  which  the  human  race 
so  scramble ;  for  all  the  gold  that  is  beneath  the 
moon,  or  that  ever  was,  of  these  weary  souls  could 
not  make  a  single  one  repose." 

"  Master,"  said  I  to  him,  "  now  tell  me  further ; 
this  Fortune,  on  which  thou  touchest  for  me,  what 
is  it,  that  hath  the  goods  of  the  world  so  in  its 
clutches  ?  " 

And  he  to  me,  "  O  creatures  foolish,  how  great 
is  that  ignorance  that  harms  you !  I  would  have 
thee  now  take  in  my  judgment  of  her.  He  whose 
wisdom  transcendeth  all  made  the  heavens,  and 
gave  them  their  guides,  so  that  every  part  on  every 
part  doth  shine,  equally  distributing  the  light.  In 
like  wise  for  the  splendors  of  the  world.  He  or- 
dained a  general  ministress  and  guide,  who  should 
ever  and  anon  transfer  the  vain  goods  from  race  to 
race,  and  from  one  blood  to  another,  beyond  the  re- 
sistance of  human  wit.    Wherefore  one  race  rules. 


34  HELL. 

and  the  other  languishes,  pursuant  to  her  judgment, 
which  is  occult  as  the  snake  in  the  grass.  Your 
wisdom  hath  no  withstanding  of  her  :  she  provides, 
judges  and  maintains  her  realm,  as  theirs  the  other 
gods.  Her  permutations  have  no  truce ;  necessity 
compels  her  to  be  swift,  so  often  cometh  he  who 
obtains  a  turn.  This  is  she  who  is  so  set  upon  the 
cross,  even  by  those  who  ought  to  give  her  praise, 
giving  her  blame  amiss  and  ill  report.  But  she  is 
blessed  and  hears  this  not.  With  the  other  Primal 
Creatures  glad  she  turns  her  sphere,  and  blessed 
she  rejoices.  But  now  let  us  descend  to  greater 
woe.  Already  every  star  sinks  that  was  rising 
when  I  set  out,  and  too  long  stay  is  forbidden." 

We  crossed  the  circle  to  the  other  bank,  above  a 
fount  that  boils  and  pours  down  through  a  cleft  that 
proceeds  from  it.  The  water  was  far  darker  than 
perse  ;  ^  and  we,  in  company  with  the  dusky  waves, 
entered  down  through  a  strange  way.  A  marsh  it 
makes,  that  is  named  Styx,  this  dismal  little  stream, 
when  it  has  descended  to  the  foot  of  the  malign 
gray  slopes.  And  I,  who  stood  intent  to  gaze,  saw 
muddy  people  in  that  swamp,  all  naked  and  with 
look  of  hurt.  They  were  smiting  each  other,  not 
only  with  hands,  but  with  head,  and  with  chest, 
and  with  feet,  mangling  one  another  piecemeal 
with  their  teeth. 

'  Pnrple-black. 


CANTO  VII.  85 

The  good  Master  said,  "  Son,  now  thou  seest  the 
souls  of  those  whom  anger  overcame  ;  and  likewise 
I  would  have  thee  believe  for  certain  that  beneath 
the  water  are  folk  who  sigh,  and  make  this  water 
bubble  at  the  surface,  as  thine  eye  tells  thee  wher- 
ever it  turns.  Fixed .  in  the  slime,  they  say,  '  Sul° 
len  were  we  in  the  sweet  air  that  by  the  Sun  is 
gladdened,  bearing  within  ourselves  the  sluggish 
fume  ;  now  we  are  sullen  in  the  black  mire.'  This 
hymn  they  gurgle  in  their  throats,  for  they  cannot 
speak  with  entire  words."  ^ 

Thus  we  circled  a  great  arc  of  the  foul  fen, 
between  the  dry  bank  and  the  slough,  with  eyes 
turned  on  those  who  guzzle  the  mire.  We  came  at 
length  to  the  foot  of  a  tower. 

^  The  sin  here  punished  is  that  known  to  the  Middle  Ages  as 
acedia,  or  accidie,  —  slackness  in  good  works,  and  spiritual  gloom 
and  despondency.  In  the  Parson's  Tale  Chaucer  says :  "  Envie 
and  ire  maken  bitternesse  in  heart,  which  bittemesse  is  mother 
of  accidie." 


CANTO  VIII. 

The  Fifth  Circle.  —  Phlegyas  and  his  boat.  —  Passage  of 
the  Styx.  —  Filippo  Argenti.  —  The  City  of  Dis.  —  The 
demons  refuse  entrance  to  the  poets. 

I  SAY,  continuing,  that,  long  before  we  were  at 
the  foot  of  the  high  tower,  our  eyes  went  upward 
to  its  top  because  of  two  flamelets  that  we  saw  set 
there,  and  another  giving  signal  back  from  so  far 
that  hardly  could  the  eye  reach  it.  And  I  turned 
me  to  the  Sea  of  all  wisdom ;  I  said,  "  This  one, 
what  says  it  ?  and  what  answers  that  other  fire  ? 
and  who  are  they  that  make  it?  "  And  he  to  me, 
"  Upon  the  foul  waves  already  thou  mayest  dis- 
cern that  which  is  expected,  if  the  fume  of  the 
marsh  hide  it  not  from  thee." 

Bowstring  never  sped  arrow  from  itself  that  ran 
so  swift  a  course  through  the  air,  as  a  very  little 
boat  which  I  saw  coming  through  the  water  toward 
us  at  that  instant,  under  the  direction  of  a  single 
ferryman,  who  was  crying  out,  "Art  thou  then 
come,  fell  soul  ?  " 

"  Phlegyas,  Phlegyas,  this  time  thou  criest  out  in 
vain,"  said  my  Lord  j  "  longer  thou  shalt  not  have 


CANTO  VUI.  87 

US  than  only  while  crossing  the  slough."  As  one 
who  listens  to  some  great  deceit  that  has  been  prac- 
ticed on  him,  and  then  chafes  at  it,  such  became 
Phlegyas  in  his  stifled  anger. 

My  Leader  descended  into  the  bark  and  then  he 
made  me  enter  after  him,  and  only  when  I  was  in 
did  it  seem  laden.  Soon  as  my  Leader  and  I  were 
in  the  boat,  the  antique  prow  goes  its  way,  cutting 
more  of  the  water  than  it  is  wont  with  others. 

While  we  were  running  through  the  dead  chan- 
nel, before  me  showed  himself  one  full  of  mud,  and 
said,  "  Who  art  thou  that  comest  before  the  hour,?  " 
And  I  to  him,  "  If  I  come  I  stay  not ;  but  thou, 
who  art  thou  that  art  become  so  foul  ?  "  He  an- 
swered, "Thou  seest  that  I  am  one  who  weeps." 
And  I  to  him,  "  With  weeping  and  with  wailing, 
accursed  spirit,  do  thou  remain,  for  I  know  thee 
although  thou  art  all  filthy."  Then  he  stretched  to 
the  boat  both  his  hands,  whereat  the  wary  Master 
thrust  him  back,  saying,  "  Begone  there,  with  the 
other  dogs  !  "  Then  with  his  arms  he  clasped  my 
neck,  kissed  my  face,  and  said,  "  Disdainful  soul, 
blessed  be  she  who  bore  thee  I  This  one  was  an 
arrogant  person  in  the  world ;  no  goodness  is  there 
that  adorns  his  memory;  therefore  is  his  shade  so 
furious  here.  How  many  now  up  there  are  held 
great  kings  who  shall  stand  here  like  swine  in 
mire,  leaving  of  themselves  horrible  dispraises." 


88  HELL. 

And  I,  "  Master,  I  should  mucli  like  to  see  him 
ducked  in  this  broth  before  we  depart  from  the 
lake."  And  he  to  me,  "  Ere  the  shore  allows  thee 
to  see  it  thou  shalt  be  satisfied ;  it  will  be  fitting 
that  thou  enjoy  such  a  desire."  After  this  a  little 
I  saw  such  rending  of  him  by  the  muddy  folk  that 
I  still  praise  God  therefor,  and  thank  Him  for  it. 
All  cried,  "  At  Filippo  Argenti !  "  and  the  raging 
Florentine  spirit  turned  upon  himself  with  his 
teeth.  Here  we  left  him ;  so  that  I  teU  no  more  of 
him. 

But  on  my  ears  there  smote  a  wailing,  whereat 
forward  intent  I  open  wide  my  eye.  And  the 
good  Master  said,  "  Now,  son,  the  city  draws  near 
that  is  named  Dis,  with  its  heavy  citizens,  with 
its  great  throng."  And  I,  "  Master,  already  in 
the  valley  therewithin  I  clearly  discern  its  mosques 
vermilion,  as  if  issuing  from  fire."  And  he  said 
to  me,  "  The  eternal  fire  that  blazes  within  them 
displays  them  red  as  thou  seest  in  this  nether  Hell." 

We  at  last  arrived  within  the  deep  ditches  that 
encompass  that  disconsolate  city.  The  walls  seemed 
to  me  to  be  of  iron.  Not  without  first  making  a 
great  circuit  did  we  come  to  a  place  where  the 
ferryman  loudly  shouted  to  us,  "  Out  with  you,  here 
is  the  entrance." 

Upon  the  gates  I  saw  more  than  a  thousand  of 
those  rained  down  from  heaven  who  angrily  were 


CANTO  VIII.  89 

aaying,  "Who  is  this,  that  without  death  goes 
through  the  realm  of  the  dead  folk?  "  And  my 
wise  Master  made  a  sign  of  wishing  to  speak  se- 
cretly with  them.  Then  they  shut  in  a  little  their 
great  scorn,  and  said,  "  Come  thou  alone,  and  let 
him  be  gone  who  so  boldly  entered  on  this  realm. 
Alone  let  him  return  on  the  mad  path :  let  him  try 
if  he  can;  for  thou,  who  hast  escorted  him  through 
so  dark  a  region,  shalt  remain  here." 

Think,  Reader,  if  I  was  discomforted  at  the 
sound  of  the  accursed  words,  for  I  did  not  believe 
ever  to  return  hither.  ^ 

"  O  my  dear  Leader,  who  more  than  seven  times 
hast  renewed  assurance  in  me,  and  drawn  me  from 
deep  peril  that  stood  confronting  me,  leave  me 
not,"  said  I,  "  thus  undone ;  and,  if  the  going  far- 
ther onward  be  denied  us,  let  us  together  retrace 
our  footprints  quickly."  And  that  Lord  who  had 
led  me  thither  said  to  me,  "  Fear  not,  for  no  one 
can  take  from  us  our  onward  way,  by  Such  an  one 
it  is  given  to  us.  But  here  await  me,  and  comfort 
thy  dejected  spirit  and  feed  on  good  hope,  for  I 
will  not  leave  thee  in  the  nether  world.". 

So  the  sweet  Father  goes  away,  and  here  aban- 
dons me,  and  I  remain  in  suspense  ;  and  yes  and  no 
contend  within  my  head.  I  could  not  hear  what  he 
set  forth  to  them,  but  he  had  not  staid  there  long 

1  To  this  world. 


40  HELL. 

with  them,  when  each  ran  vying  back  within. 
These  our  adversaries  closed  the  gates  on  the  breast 
of  my  Lord,  who  remained  without,  and  returned 
to  me  with  slow  steps.  He  held  his  eyes  upon  the 
ground,  and  his  brow  was  shorn  of  all  hardihood, 
and  he  said  in  sighs,  "  Who  hath  denied  to  me  the 
houses  of  woe  ?  "  And  he  said  to  me,  "  Thou,  be- 
cause I  am  wroth,  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  shall 
win  the  strife,  whoever  circle  round  within  for  the 
defence.  This  their  insolence  is  not  new,  for  of 
old  they  used  it  at  a  less  secret  gate,  which  still  is 
found  without  a  bolt.  Above  it  thou  didst  see  the 
dead  inscription ;  and  already  on  this  side  of  it 
descends  the  steep,  passing  without  escort  through 
the  circles,  One  such  that  by  him  the  city  shall  be 
opened  to  us." 


CANTO  IX. 

The  City  of  Dis.  —  Erichtho.  —  The  Three  Furies.  — The 
Heavenly  Messenger.  —  The  Sixth  Circle,  that  of  the  Here- 
siarchs. 

That  color  which  cowardice  painted  outwardly 
on  me  when  I  saw  my  Guide  turn  back,  repressed 
more  speedily  his  own  new  color.  He  stopped 
attentive,  like  a  man  that  listens,  for  the  eye  could 
not  lead  him  far  through  the  black  air,  and 
through  the  dense  fog. 

"  Yet  it  must  be  for  us  to  win  the  fight,"  began 
he,  "  unless  —  Such  an  one  offered  herself  to  us.^ 
Oh  how  slow  it  seems  till  Some  one  here  arrive !  "  ^ 

I  saw  well  how  he  covered  up  the  beginning  with 
the  rest  that  came  after,  which  were  words  differ- 
ent from  the  first.  But  nevertheless  his  speech 
gave  me  fear,  because  I  drew  his  broken  phrase 
perchance  to  a  worse  meaning  than  it  held. 

"  Into  this  depth  of  the  dismal  shell  doth  any  one 
ever  descend  from  the  first  grade  who  hath  for 

^  Beatrice. 

^  The  messenger  from  Heaven,  referred  to  in  the  last  verses  of 
tihe  last  canto. 


42  HELL. 

penalty  only  hope  cut  off  ?  "  ^  This  question  I  put, 
and  he  answered  me,  "  Seldom  it  happens  that  any 
one  of  us  maketh  the  journey  on  which  I  am  going. 
It  is  true  that  another  time  I  was  conjured  down 
here  by  that  cruel  Erichtho  who  was  wont  to  call 
back  shades  into  their  bodies.  Short  while  had  my 
flesh  been  bare  of  me,  when  she  made  me  enter 
within  that  wall  in  order  to  drag  out  for  her  a 
spirit  from  the  circle  of  Judas.  That  is  the  lowest 
place,  and  the  darkest,  and  the  farthest  from  the 
Heaven  that  encircles  all.  Well  do  I  know  the 
road  :  therefore  assure  thyself.  This  marsh  which, 
breathes  out  the  great  stench  girds  round  about  the 
woeful  city  wherein  now  we  cannot  enter  without 
anger." 

And  more  he  said,  but  I  hold  it  not  in  mind  be- 
cause my  eye  had  wholly  attracted  me  toward  the 
high  tower  with  the  ruddy  summit,  where  in  an  in- 
stant were  uprisen  suddenly  three  infernal  furies, 
stained  with  blood,  who  had  the  limbs  of  women 
and  their  action,  and  were  girt  with  greenest  hy- 
dras. Little  serpents  and  cerastes  they  had  for 
hair,  wherewith  their  savage  brows  were  bound. 

And  he,  who  well  knew  the  handmaids  of  the 
queen  of  the  eternal  lamentation,  said  to  me,  "  Be- 
hold the  fell  Erinnyes ;   this  is  Megaera  on  the 

^  Dante  asks  for  assurance  that  Virgil,  whose  station  is  in 
Limbo,  "  the  first  grade,"  knows  the  way. 


CANTO  IX.  43 

left  side,  she  who  weeps  on  the  right  is  Alecto, 
Tisiphone  is  in  the  middle,"  and  therewith  he  was 
silent. 

With  her  nails  each  was  tearing  her  breast,  they 
beat  themselves  with  their  hands,  and  cried  out  so 
loud  that  I  pressed  close  to  the  Poet  through  dread. 
"  Let  Medusa  come,  so  we  will  make  him  of  stone," 
they  all  said,  looking  down.  "  111  was  it  we 
avenged  not  on  Theseus  his  assault." 

"  Turn  thy  back,  and  keep  thy  sight  closed,  for 
if  the  Gorgon  show  herself,  and  thou  shouldest  see 
her,  no  return  upward  would  there  ever  be."  Thus 
said  the  Master,  and  he  himself  turned  me,  and 
trusted  not  to  my  hands  but  vnth  his  own  he  also 
blindfolded  me. 

O  ye  who  have  sound  understanding,  regard  the 
doctrine  that  is  hidden  under  the  veil  of  the  strange 
verses. 

And  already  was  coming  across  the  turbid  waves 
a  tumult  of  a  sound  full  of  terror  at  which  both 
the  shores  trembled.  Not  otherwise  it  was  than 
of  a  wind,  impetuous  through  the  opposing  heats, 
that  strikes  the  forest,  and  without  any  stay  shat- 
ters the  branches,  beats  down  and  carries  them 
away ;  forward,  laden  with  dust,  it  goes  superb, 
and  makes  the  wild  beasts  and  the  shepherds  fly. 

My  eyes  he  loosed,  and  said,  "  Now  direct  the 
nerve  of  sight  across  the  ancient  scum,  there  yon- 
der where  that  fume  is  most  bitter." 


44  HELL. 

As  frogs  before  the  hostile  snake  all  scatter 
through  the  water,  till  each  huddles  on  the  ground, 
I  saw  more  than  a  thousand  destroyed  souls  flying 
thus  before  one,  who  at  the  ford  was  passing  over 
the  Styx  with  dry  feet.  From  his  face  he  removed 
that  thick  air,  waving  his  left  hand  oft  before  him, 
and  only  with  that  trouble  seemed  he  weary. 
Well  I  perceived  that  he  was  sent  from  Heaven, 
and  I  turned  me  to  the  Master,  and  he  made  sign 
that  I  should  stand  quiet  and  bow  down  unto  him. 
Ah,  how  full  of  disdain  he  seemed  to  me !  He 
reached  the  gate  and  with  a  little  rod  he  opened  it, 
for  there  was  no  withstanding. 

"  O  outcasts  from  Heaven,  folk  despised,"  began 
he  upon  the  horrible  threshold,  "  wherefore  is  this 
overweening  harbored  in  you  ?  Why  do  ye  kick 
against  that  will  from  wliich  its  end  can  never  be  cut 
short,  and  which  many  a  time  hath  increased  your 
grief  ?  What  avails  it  to  butt  against  the  fates  ? 
Your  Cerberus,  if  ye  remember  well,  still  bears  his 
chin  and  his  throat  peeled  for  that."  Then  he 
turned  back  upon  the  filthy  road  and  said  no  word 
to  us,  but  wore  the  semblance  of  a  man  whom  other 
care  constrains  and  stings,  than  that  of  him  who  is 
before  him. 

And  we  moved  our  feet  toward  the  city,  confident 
after  his  holy  words.  Within  we  entered  without 
any  strife,  and  I,  who  had  desire  to  observe  the 


CANTO  IX.  46 

condition  which  such  a  stronghold  locks  in,  when  I 
was  within,  sent  my  eyes  round  about ;  and  I  see 
on  every  hand  a  great  plain  full  of  woe  and  of  cruel 
torment. 

As  at  Aries,  where  the  Rhone  stagnates,  as  at 
Pola,  near  the  Quarnaro  that  shuts  in  Italy  and 
bathes  its  borders,  sepulchres  make  all  the  place 
uneven ;  so  did  they  here  on  every  side,  saving  that 
the  manner  was  more  bitter  here ;  for  among  the 
tombs  flames  were  scattered,  by  which  they  were 
so  intensely  kindled  that  no  art  requires  iron  more 
so.  All  their  lids  were  lifted ;  and  such  dire  la- 
ments were  issuing  forth  from  them  as  truly  seemed 
of  wretches  and  of  sufferers. 

And  I,  "  Master,  who  are  these  folk  that,  buried 
within  those  coffers,  make  themselves  heard  with 
their  woeful  sighs  ?  "  And  he  to  me,  "  Here  are  the 
heresiarchs  with  their  followers  of  every  sect,  and 
the  tombs  are  much  more  laden  than  thou  thinkest. 
Like  with  like  is  buried  here,  and  the  monuments 
are  more  and  less  hot." 

And  when  he  to  th^  right  hand  had  turned,  we 
passed  between  the  torments  and  the  high  battle- 
ments. 


CANTO  X. 

The  Sixth  Circle  :  Heresiarchs.  —  Farinata  degli  UbertL 
—  Cavalcante  Cavalcanti.  —  Frederick  II. 

Now  along  a  narrow  path  between  the  wall  of 
the  city  and  the  torments  my  Master  goeth  on,  and 
I  behind  his  shoulders. 

"  O  Virtue  supreme,"  I  began,  "  that  through 
the  impious  circles  turnest  me,  according  to  thy 
pleasure,  speak  to  me  and  satisfy  my  desires.  The 
folk  that  are  lying  in  the  sepulchres,  can  they  be 
seen  ?  All  the  lids  are  now  lifted,  and  no  one  keep- 
eth  guard."  And  he  to  me,  "  All  shall  be  locked 
in  when  from  Jehoshaphat  they  shall  here  return 
with  the  bodies  which  they  have  left  on  earth. 
Upon  this  side  Epicurus  with  all  his  followers,  who 
make  the  soul  mortal  with  the  body,  have  their 
burial  place.  Therefore  as  to  the  demand  that 
thou  makest  of  me,  thou  shalt  soon  be  satisfied  here 
within ;  and  also  as  to  the  desire  concerning  which 
thou  art  silent  to  me."  And  I,  "  Good  Leader,  I 
hold  not  my  heart  hidden  from  thee  except  in  or- 
der to  speak  little ;  and  not  only  now  to  that  hast 
thou  disposed  me." 


CANTO  X.  47 

*'  O  Tuscan,  who  through  the  city  of  fire  alive 
art  going,  speaking  thus  modestly,  may  it  please 
thee  to  stop  in  this  place.  Thy  speech  makes  man- 
ifest that  thou  art  native  of  that  noble  fatherland 
to  which  perchance  I  was  too  molestful."  Sud- 
denly this  sound  issued  from  one  of  the  coffers, 
wherefore  I  drew,  in  fear,  a  little  nearer  to  my 
Leader.  And  he  said  to  me,  "  Turn,  what  dost 
thou  ?  Behold  Farinata  who  hath  uprisen ;  thou 
shalt  see  him  all  from  the  girdle  up." 

I  had  already  fixed  my  face  on  his,  and  he 
straightened  himself  up  with  breast  and  front  as 
though  he  had  Hell  in  great  scorn.  And  the  bold 
and  ready  hands  of  my  Leader  pushed  me  among 
the  sepulchres  to  him,  saying,  "  Let  thy  words  be 
choice." 

When  I  was  at  the  foot  of  his  tomb,  he  looked 
at  me  a  little,  and  then,  as  though  disdainful,  asked 
me,  "  Who  were  thy  ancestors  ?  "  I,  who  was  de- 
sirous to  obey,  concealed  them  not,  but  disclosed 
them  all  to  him  ;  whereon  he  raised  his  brows  a  lit- 
tle up,  then  said,  "  Fiercely  were  they  adverse  to 
me,  and  to  my  fathers,  and  to  my  party,  so  that 
twice  I  scattered  them."  ^  "  If  they  were  driven 
out,  they  returned  from  every  side,"  replied  I  to 
him,  "  both  one  and  the  other  time,  but  yours  have 
not  learned  well  that  art." 

1  Dante's  ancestors  were  Qaelphs. 


48  HELL. 

Then  there  arose,  to  view  uncovered  down  to  the 
chin,  a  shade  at  the  side  of  this  one  ;  I  think  that 
it  had  risen  on  its  knees.  Round  about  me  it 
looked,  as  if  it  had  desire  to  see  if  another  were  with 
me,  but  when  its  expectancy  was  quite  extinct, 
weeping  it  said,  "If  through  this  blind  dungeon 
thou  goest  through  loftiness  of  genius,  my  son, 
where  is  he  ?  and  why  is  he  not  with  thee  ?  "  And 
I  to  him,  "  Of  myself  I  come  not ;  he  who  waits 
yonder  leads  me  through  here,  whom  perchance 
your  Guido  held  in  scorn."  ^ 

His  words  and  the  mode  of  the  punishment  had 
already  read  to  me  the  name  of  this  one,  wherefore 
my  answer  was  so  full. 

Suddenly  straightening  up,  he  cried,  "  How 
didst  thou  say,  '  he  held  '  ?  lives  he  not  still  ?  doth 
not  the  sweet  light  strike  his  eyes  ?  "  When  he 
took  note  of  some  delay  that  I  made  before  an- 
swering, he  fell  again  supine,  and  forth  appeared 
no  more. 

But  that  other  magnanimous  one,  at  whose  in- 
stance I  had  stayed,  changed  not  aspect,  nor  moved 
his  neck,  nor  bent  his  side.  "  And  if,"  he  said, 
continuing  his  first  words,  "  they  have  iU  learned 
that  art,  it  torments  me  more  than  this  bed.  But 
the  face  of  the  lady  who  ruleth  here  will  not  be 

*  Guido  Cavalcanti  was  charged  with  the  same  sin  of  unbelief 
as  his  father.  Dante  regards  this  as  a  sin  specially  contrary  to 
right  reason,  typified  by  Virgil. 


CANTO  X.  49 

rekindled  fifty  times  ere  thou  shalt  know  how  much 
that  art  weighs.  And,  so  mayest  thou  return  unto 
the  sweet  world,  tell  me  wherefore  is  that  people  so 
pitiless  against  my  race  in  its  every  law  ?  "  Then 
I  to  him,  "The  rout  and  the  great  carnage  that 
colored  the  Arbia  red  cause  such  orison  to  be  made 
in  our  temple."  After  he  had,  sighing,  shaken 
his  head,  "In  that  I  was  not  alone,"  he  said,  "  nor 
surely  without  cause  would  I  have  moved  with 
the  rest ;  but  I  was  alone,  —  there  ^  where  it  was 
agreed  by  every  one  to  lay  Florence  waste,  —  he 
who  defended  her  with  open  face."  "  Ah !  so  here- 
after may  your  seed  repose,"  I  prayed  to  him, 
"  loose  for  me  that  knot,  which  here  has  entangled 
my  judgment.  It  seems,  if  I  rightly  hear,  that 
ye  foresee  that  which  time  is  bringing  with  him, 
and  as  to  the  present  have  another  way."  "  We 
see,"  he  said,  "  like  those  who  have  feeble  light, 
the  things  that  are  far  from  us,  so  much  still  shin- 
eth  on  us  the  supreme  Leader ;  when  they  draw 
near,  or  are,  our  intelligence  is  all  vain,  and,  if 
some  one  report  not  to  us,  we  know  nothing  of  your 
human  state.  Therefore  thou  canst  comprehend 
that  our  knowledge  will  be  utterly  dead  from  that 
moment  when  the  gate  of  the  future  shall  be 
closed."  Then,  as  compunctious  for  my  fault,  I 
said,  "  Now  wilt  thou  therefore  tell  that  fallen  one 

^  At  Empoli,  in  1260,  after  the  defeat  of  the  Florentine  Guelphs 
at  Montaperti  on  the  Arbia. 


50  HELL. 

that  his  son  is  still  conjoined  with  the  living,  and 
if  just  now  I  was  dumb  to  answer,  make  him  know 
that  I  was  so  because  I  was  still  thinking  in  that 
error  which  you  have  solved  for  me."  ^ 

And  now  my  Master  was  calling  me  back,  where- 
fore I  prayed  the  spirit  more  hastily  that  he  would 
tell  me  who  was  with  him.  He  said  to  me,  "  Here 
with  more  than  a  thousand  do  I  lie ;  here  within  is 
the  second  Frederick  and  the  Cardinal,^  and  of  the 
others  I  am  silent." 

Thereon  he  hid  himself ;  and  I  toward  the  ancient 
Poet  turned  my  steps,  reflecting  on  that  speech 
which  seemed  hostile  to  me.  He  moved  on,  and 
then,  thus  going,  he  said  to  me,  "  Why  art  thou  so 
distraught?"  And  I  satisfied  his  demand.  "Let 
thy  memory  preserve  that  which  thou  hast  heard 
against  thyself,"  commanded  me  that  Sage,  "  and 
now  attend  to  this,"  and  he  raised  his  finger. 
*'  When  thou  shalt  be  in  presence  of  the  sweet  ra- 
diance of  her  whose  beautiful  eye  sees  everything, 
from  her  thou  shalt  learn  the  journey  of  thy  life." 
Hien  to  the  left  he  turned  his  step. 

We  left  the  wall,  and  went  toward  the  middle 
by  a  path  which  strikes  into  a  valley  that  even  up 
there  its  stench  made  displeasing. 

^  Guido  Cavalcanti  died  in  August,  1300 ;  his  death,  being  near 
at  hand  at  the  time  of  Dante's  journey,  was  not  known  to  his 
father. 

*  Ottaviano  degli  Ubaldini,  a  fierce  Ghibelline,  who  was  reported 
as  saying,  "  If  there  be  a  soul  I  have  lost  it  for  the  Ghibellines." 


CANTO  XI. 

The  Sixth  Circle  :  Heretics.  —  Tomb  of  Pope  Anastasins. 
—  Discourse  of  Virgil  on  the  divisions  of  the  lower  Hell. 

Upon  the  edge  of  a  high  bank  formed  by  great 
rocks  broken  in  a  circle,  we  came  above  a  more 
cruel  pen.  And  here,  because  of  the  horrible 
excess  of  the  stench  that  the  deep  abyss  throws 
out,  we  drew  aside  behind  the  lid  of  a  great  tomb, 
whereon  I  saw  an  inscription  which  said,  "  Pope 
Anastasius  I  hold,  he  whom  Photinus  drew  from 
the  right  way." 

"  Our  descent  must  needs  be  slow  so  that  the 
sense  may  first  accustom  itself  a  little  to  the  dis- 
mal blast,  and  then  will  be  no  heed  of  it."  Thus 
the  Master,  and  I  said  to  him,  "  Some  compensa- 
tion do  thou  find  that  the  time  pass  not  lost."  And 
he,  "  Behold,  I  am  thinking  of  that.  My  son, 
within  these  rocks,"  he  began  to  say,  "are  three 
circlets  from  grade  to  grade  like  those  thou  leavest. 
All  are  full  of  accursed  spirits  ;  but,  in  order  that 
hereafter  sight  only  may  suffice  thee,  hear  how  and 
wherefore  they  are  in  constraint. 

"  Of  every  malice  that  wins  hate  in  heaven  in- 


62  HELL. 

jury  is  the  end,  and  every  such  end  afflicts  others 
either  by  force  or  by  fraud.  But  because  fraud  is 
the  peculiar  sin  of  man,  it  most  displeaseth  God ; 
and  therefore  the  fraudulent  are  the  lower,  and 
more  woe  assails  them. 

"  The  first  circle  ^  is  whoUy  of  the  violent ;  but 
because  violence  can  be  done  to  three  persons,  in 
three  rounds  it  is  divided  and  constructed.  Unto 
God,  unto  one's  self,  unto  one's  neighbor  may  vio- 
lence be  done ;  I  mean  unto  them  and  unto  their 
belongings,  as  thou  shalt  hear  in  plain  discourse. 
By  violence  death  and  grievous  wounds  are  in- 
flicted on  one's  neighbor;  and  on  his  substance 
ruins,  burnings,  and  harmful  robberies.  Where- 
fore homicides,  and  every  one  who  smites  wrong- 
fully, devastators  and  freebooters,  all  of  them  the 
first  round  torments,  in  various  troops. 

"  Man  may  lay  violent  hands  upon  himself  and  on 
his  goods ;  and,  therefore,  in  the  second  round  must 
needs  repent  without  avail  whoever  deprives  himself 
of  your  world,  gambles  away  and  squanders  his  prop- 
erty, and  laments  there  where  he  ought  to  be  joyous.^ 

"Violence  may  be  done  to  the  Deity, by  denying 
and  blaspheming  Him  in  heart,  and  despising  na- 
ture and  His  bounty:  and  therefore  the  smallest 

^  The  first  circle  below,  the  seventh  in  the  order  of  Hell. 
^  Laments  on  earth  because  of  violence  done  to  what  should 
have  made  him  happy. 


CANTO  XL  53 

round  seals  with  its  signet  both  Sodom  and  Cahors, 
and  him  who  despising  God  speaks  from  his  heart. 

"Fraud,  by  which  every  conscience  is  bitten, 
man  may  practice  on  one  that  confides  in  him,  or 
on  one  that  owns  no  confidence.  This  latter  mode 
seemeth  to  destroy  only  the  bond  of  love  that  na- 
ture makes ;  wherefore  in  the  second  circle  ^  nestle 
hypocrisy,  flatteries,  and  sorcerers,  falsity,  robbery, 
and  simony,  panders,  barrators,  and  such  like  filth. 
"By  the  other  mode  that  love  is  forgotten 
which  nature  makes,  and  also  that  which  is  there- 
after added,  whereby  special  confidence  is  created. 
Hence,  in  the  smallest  circle,  where  is  the  centre 
of  the  universe,  on  which  Dis  sits,  whoso  betrays 
is  consumed  forever." 

And  I,  "  Master,  full  clearly  doth  thy  discourse 
proceed,  and  full  well  divides  this  pit,  and  the  peo- 
ple that  possess  it;  but,  tell  me,  they  of  the  fat 
marsh,  and  they  whom  the  wind  drives,  and  they 
whom  the  rain  beats,  and  they  who  encounter  with 
such  sharp  tongues,  why  are  they  not  punished 
within  the  ruddy  city  if  God  be  wroth  with  them  ? 
and  if  he  be  not  so,  why  are  they  in  such  plight  ?  " 

And  he  said  to  me,  "  Wherefore  so  wanders  thine 
understanding  beyond  its  wont  ?  or  thy  mind,  where 
else  is  it  gazing  ?  Dost  thou  not  remember  those 
words  with  which  thine  Ethics  treats  in  full  of  the 

^  The  second  circle  below,  the  eighth  in  the  order  of  HelL 


54  HELL. 

three  dispositions  that  Heaven  abides  not ;  in. 
continence,  malice,  and  mad  bestiality,  and  how 
incontinence  less  offends  God,  and  incurs  less 
blame  ?  ^  If  thou  considerest  well  this  doctrine, 
and  bringest  to  mind  who  are  those  that  up  above, 
outside,^  suffer  punishment,  thou  wilt  see  clearly 
why  from  these  felons  they  are  divided,  and  why 
less  wroth  the  divine  vengeance  hammers  them." 

"  O  Sun  that  healest  every  troubled  vision,  thou 
dost  content  me  so,  when  thou  explainest,  that 
doubt,  not  less  than  knowledge,  pleaseth  me ;  yet 
return  a  little  back,"  said  I,  "  there  where  thou 
saidst  that  usury  offends  the  Divine  Goodness,  and 
loose  the  knot." 

"  Philosophy,"  he  said  to  me,  "  points  out  to  him 
who  understands  it,  not  only  in  one  part  alone,  how 
Nature  takes  her  course  from  the  Divine  Intellect 
and  from  its  art.  And  if  thou  note  thy  Physics  ^ 
well  thou  wilt  find  after  not  many  pages  that  your 
art  follows  her  so  far  as  it  can,  as  the  disciple  does 
the  master,  so  that  your  art  is  as  it  were  grand- 
child of  God.  By  means  of  these  two,  if  thou 
bringest  to  mind  Genesis  at  its  beginning,  it  be- 
hoves mankind  to  obtain  their  livelihood  and 
to  thrive.     But  because  the  usurer  takes  another 

1  Aristotle,  Ethics,  vii.  1. 

2  Outside  the  walls  of  the  city  of  Dis. 
8  Aristotle,  Physics,  ii.  2. 


CANTO  XL  ^  65 

course,  he  despises  Nature  in  herself,  and  in  her 
follower,  since  upon  other  thing  he  sets  his  hope. 
But  follow  me  now,  for  to  go  on  pleaseth  me  ;  for 
the  Fishes  are  gliding  on  the  horizon,  and  the 
Wain  lies  quite  over  Corus,^  and  far  yonder  is 
the  way  down  the  cliff." 

^  The  time  indicated  is  about  4,  or  from  4  to  5  A.  m.  Coms, 
the  name  of  the  north-west  wind,  here  stands  for  that  quarter  of 
the  heavens. 


CANTO  XII. 

Krst  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle ;  those  who  do  violence 
to  others  ;  Tyrants  and  Homicides.  —  The  Minotaur.  —  The 
Centaurs.  —  Chiron. —  Nessus. —  The  Kiver  of  Boiling  Blood, 
and  the  Sinners  in  it. 

The  place  where  we  came  to  descend  the  bank 
was  rugged,  and,  because  of  what  was  there  be- 
sides, such  that  every  eye  would  be  shy  of  it. 

As  is  that  ruin  which,  on  this  side  of  Trent,  struck 
the  Adige  on  its  flank,  either  by  earthquake  or  by 
failure  of  support,  —  for  from  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tain whence  it  moved,  to  the  plain,  the  cliff  has  so 
fallen  down  that  it  might  give  a  path  to  one  who 
was  above,  —  so  was  the  descent  of  that  ravine. 
And  on  the  edge  of  the  broken  chasm  lay  stretched 
out  the  infamy  of  Crete,  that  was  conceived  in  the 
false  cow.  And  when  he  saw  us  he  bit  himself 
even  as  one  whom  wrath  rends  inwardlj'^.  My  Sage 
cried  out  toward  him,  "  Perchance  thou  believest 
that  here  is  the  Duke  of  Athens  who  up  in  the 
world  brought  death  to  thee  ?  Get  thee  gone, 
beast,  for  this  one  comes  not  instructed  by  thy 
sister,  but  he  goes  to  behold  your  punishments." 

As  a  bull  that  breaks  away  at  the  instant  he  has 


CANTO  XII.  67 

now  received  his  mortal  stroke,  and  cannot  go,  but 
plunges  hither  and  thither,  the  Minotaur  I  saw  do 
the  like. 

And  that  wary  one  cried  out,  "  Run  to  the  pass  ; 
while  he  is  raging  it  is  well  that  thou  descend." 
So  we  took  our  way  down  over  the  discharge  of 
those  stones,  which  often  moved  under  my  feet  be- 
cause of  the  novel  burden. 

I  was  going  along  thinking,  and  he  said,  "  Thou 
thinkest  perhaps  on  this  ruin  which  is  guarded  by 
that  bestial  wrath  which  I  just  now  quenched. 
Now  would  I  have  thee  know  that  the  other  time 
when  I  descended  hither  into  the  nether  hell,  this 
cliff  had  not  yet  fallen.  But  in  truth,  if  I  dis- 
cern clearly,  a  little  ere  He  came,  who  levied  the 
great  spoil  on  Dis  from  the  supernal  circle,  in  all 
its  parts  the  deep  foul  valley  trembled  so  that  I 
thought  the  universe  had  felt  the  love  by  which, 
as  some  believe,  oft  times  the  world  has  been  con- 
verted into  chaos :  ^  and,  at  that  moment,  this  an- 
cient cliff  here  and  elsewhere  made  this  downfall. 
But  fix  thine  eyes  below,  for  the  river  of  blood  is 
near,  in  which  boils  whoso  doth  harm  to  others  by 
violence." 

^  Empedocles  tanght,  as  Dante  may  have  learned  from  Aristo- 
tle, that  Love  and  Hate  were  the  forces  by  which  the  elements  of 
which  the  world  is  composed  were  united  and  dissociated.  The 
effort  of  Love  was  to  draw  all  things  into  a  simple  perfect  sphere, 
by  which  the  common  order  of  the  world  would  be  brought  to 
chaos. 


58  HELL. 

Oh  blind  cupidity,  both  guilty  and  mad,  that  so 
spurs  us  in  the  brief  life,  and  then,  in  the  eternal, 
steeps  us  so  ill ! 

I  saw  a  broad  ditch,  bent  in  an  arc,  like  one 
that  embraces  all  the  plain  ;  according  as  my  Guide 
had  said.  And  between  the  foot  of  the  bank  and 
it,  in  a  file  were  running  Centaurs  armed  with  ar- 
rows, as  they  were  wont  in  the  world  to  go  to  the 
chase.  Seeing  us  descending,  all  stopped,  and  from 
the  troop  three  detached  themselves,  with  bows  and 
arrows  first  selected.  And  one  shouted  from  afar, 
"  To  what  torment  are  ye  coming,  ye  who  descend 
the  slope  ?  Tell  it  from  there ;  if  not,  I  draw  the 
bow."  My  Master  said,  "We  will  make  answer 
unto  Chiron  near  you  there  :  ill  was  it  that  thy  will 
was  ever  thus  hasty." 

Then  he  touched  me,  and  said,  "  That  is  Nessus, 
who  died  for  the  beautiful  Dejanira,  and  he  himself 
wrought  vengeance  for  himself ;  and  that  one  in  the 
middle,  who  is  gazing  on  his  breast,  is  the  great 
Chiron  who  nurtured  Achilles.  That  other  is  Pho- 
lus,  who  was  so  full  of  wrath.  Round  about  the 
ditch  they  go  by  thousands  shooting  with  their 
arrows  what  soul  lifts  itself  from  the  blood  more 
than  its  guilt  has  allotted  it." 

We  drew  near  to  those  fleet  wild  beasts.  Chiron 
took  a  shaft,  and  with  the  notch  put  his  beard 
backward  upon  his  jaw.     When  he  had  uncovered 


CANTO  xn.  69 

his  great  mouth  lie  said  to  his  companions,  "Are 
ye  aware  that  the  one  behind  moves  what  he 
touches  ?  so  are  not  wont  to  do  the  feet  of  the 
dead."  And  my  good  Leader,  who  was  now  at  his 
breast,  where  the  two  natures  are  conjoined,  re- 
plied, "Truly  he  is  alive,  and  thus  aU  alone  it  be- 
hoves me  to  show  him  the  dark  valley :  necessity 
brings  him  hither  and  not  delight.  One  withdrew 
from  singing  alleluiah  who  committed  unto  me  this 
new  office  ;  he  is  no  robber,  nor  I  a  thievish  spirit. 
But,  by  that  power  through  which  I  move  my  steps 
along  so  savage  a  road,  give  to  us  one  of  thine,  to 
whom  we  may  be  close,  that  he  may  show  us  where 
the  ford  is,  and  may  carry  this  one  on  his  back,  for 
he  is  not  a  spirit  who  can  go  through  the  air." 

Chiron  turned  upon  his  right  breast,  and  said  to 
Nessus,  "  Turn,  and  guide  them  thus,  and  if  another 
troop  encounter  you,  make  it  give  way." 

We  moved  on  with  the  trusty  escort  along  the. 
edge  of  the  crimson  boiling,  in  which  the  boiled 
were  making  loud  shrieks.  I  saw  folk  under  it  up 
to  the  brow,  and  the  great  Centaur  said,  "  These 
are  tyrants  who  gave  themselves  to  blood  and  pil- 
lage. Here  they  weep  their  pitiless  offenses  :  here 
is  Alexander,  and  cruel  Dionysius  who  caused  Si- 
cily to  have  woeful  years.  And  that  front  which 
hath  such  black  hair  is  Azzolino,  and  that  other 
who  is  blond  is  Opizzo  of  Esti,  who  in  truth  was 
slain  by  his  stepson  up  there  in  the  world." 


60  HELL. 

Then  I  turned  me  to  the  Poet,  and  he  said,  "  Let 
him  now  be  first,  and  I  second."  A  little  further 
on  the  Centaur  stopped  above  some  folk  who  far 
as  the  throat  were  seen  to  issue  from  that  boiling 
stream.  He  showed  to  us  at  one  side  a  solitary 
shade,  and  said,  "  He  cleft,  in  the  bosom  of  God, 
the  heart  that  still  is  honored  on  the  Thames."  ^ 
Then  I  saw  folk,  who  out  of  the  stream  held  their 
head,  and  even  all  their  chest ;  and  of  these  I  re- 
cognized many.  Thus  ever  more  and  more  shallow 
became  that  blood,  until  it  cooked  only  the  feet : 
and  here  was  our  passage  of  the  foss. 

"  Even  as  on  this  side,  thou  seest  that  the  boil- 
ing stream  ever  diminishes,"  said  the  Centaur,  "  I 
would  have  thee  believe  that  on  this  other  its  bed 
sinks  more  and  more,  until  it  comes  round  again 
where  it  behoves  that  tyranny  should  groan.  The 
divine  justice  here  pierces  that  Attila  who  was  a 
scourge  on  earth,  and  Pyrrhus  and  Sextus ;  and 
forever  milks  the  tears  that  with  the  boiling  it 
unlocks  from  Rinier  of  Corneto,  and  from  Rinier 
Pazzo,  who  upon  the  highways  made  such  war- 
fare." 

Then  he  turned  back  and  repassed  the  ford. 

^  In  1271,  Prince  Henry,  son  of  Richard  of  Cornwall,  was 
stabbed  during  the  mass,  in  a  church  at  Viterbo,  by  Guy  of 
Montfort,  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  father,  Simon,  Earl  of 
Leicester,  in  1261.  The  heart  of  the  young  Prince  was  placed  in 
a  golden  cup,  as  Villani  (vii.  39)  reports,  on  a  column,  at  the  head 
of  a  bridge  in  London. 


CANTO  xin. 

Second  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle  :  of  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  themselves  and  to  their  goods.  —  The  Wood 
of  Self  -  murderers.  —  The  Harpies.  —  Pier  delle  Vigne.  — 
Lano  of  Siena  and  others. 

Nessus  had  not  yet  reached  the  yonder  bank 
when  we  set  forward  through  a  wood  which  was 
marked  by  no  path.  Not  green  leaves  but  of  a 
dusky  color,  not  smooth  boughs  but  knotty  and 
gnarled,  not  fruits  were  there  but  thorns  with 
poison.  Those  savage  beasts  that  hold  in  hate  the 
tilled  places  between  Cecina  and  Corneto  have  no 
thickets  so  rough  or  so  dense.. 

Here  the  foul  Harpies  make  their  nests,  who 
chased  the  Trojans  from  the  Strophades  with  dis- 
mal announcement  of  future  calamity.  They  have 
broad  wings,  and  human  necks  and  faces,  feet  with 
claws,  and  a  great  feathered  belly.  They  make 
lament  upon  the  strange  trees. 

And  the  good  Master,  "  Before  thou  enter  far- 
ther know  that  thou  art  in  the  second  round,"  he 
began  to  say  to  me,  "  and  wilt  be,  till  thou  shalt 


62  HELL. 

come  unto  the  horrible  sand.  Therefore  look  well 
around,  and  so  thou  shalt  see  things  that  would 
take  credence  from  my  speech."  ^ 

I  heard  wailings  uttered  on  every  side,  and  I  saw 
no  one  who  might  make  them,  wherefore,  I,  all 
bewildered,  stopped.  I  believe  that  he  believed 
that  I  believed  that  all  these  voices  issued  amid 
those  stumps  from  people  who  because  of  us  had 
hidden  themselves. 

Therefore  said  the  Master,  "  If  thou  break  off  a 
twig  from  one  of  these  plants,  the  thoughts  thou 
hast  will  all  be  cut  short."  Then  I  stretched  my 
hand  a  little  forward  and  plucked  a  branchlet  from 
a  great  thorn-bush,  and  its  trunk  cried  out,  "  Why 
dost  thou  rend  me  ?  "  When  it  had  become  dark 
with  blood  it  began  again  to  cry,  "  Why  dost  thou 
tear  me  ?  hast  thou  not  any  spirit  of  pity  ?  Men 
we  were,  and  now  we  are  become  stocks ;  truly 
thy  hand  ought  to  be  more  pitiful  had  we  been  the 
souls  of  serpents." 

As  from  a  green  log  that  is  burning  at  one  of  its 
ends,  and  from  the  other  drips,  and  hisses  with  the 
air  that  is  escaping,  so  from  that  broken  splinter 
came  out  words  and  blood  together  ;  whereon  I  let 
the  tip  fall,  and  stood  like  a  man  who  is  afraid. 

"  If  he  had  been  able  to  believe  before,"  replied 
my  Sage,  "  O  wounded  soul,  what  he  has  seen  only 

^  Thin^  which  if  told  would  seem  incredible. 


CANTO  XIII.  63 

in  my  verse,^  he  would  not  upon  thee  have  stretched 
his  hand.  But  the  incredible  thing  made  me 
prompt  him  to  an  act  which  grieves  my  very  self. 
But  tell  him  who  thou  wast,  so  that,  by  way  of  some 
amends,  he  may  refresh  thy  fame  in  the  world 
above,  whereto  it  is  allowed  him  to  return." 

And  the  trunk,  "  So  with  sweet  speech  dost  thou 
allure  me,  that  I  cannot  be  silent,  and  may  it  not 
displease  you,  that  I  am  enticed  to  speak  a  little. 
I  am  he  who  held  both  the  keys  of  the  heart  of 
Frederick,  and  who  turned  them,  locking  and  un- 
locking 80  softly,  that  from  his  confidence  I  kept 
almost  every  one.^  Fidelity  so  great  I  bore  to  the 
glorious  office,  that  I  lost  slumber  and  strength 
thereby.  The  harlot,^  that  never  from  the  abode  of 
Caesar  turned  her  strumpet  eyes,  —  the  common 
death  and  vice  of  courts,  —  inflamed  all  minds 
against  me,  and  they,  inflamed,  did  so  inflame  Au- 
gustus that  my  glad  honors  turned  to  dismal  sor- 
rows. My  mind,  in  scornful  temper  thinking  to 
escape  scorn  by  death,  made  me  unjust  toward  my 

^  In  the  story  of  Polydorus,  in  the  third  book  of  the  ^neid. 
"^  The  spirit  who  speaks  is  Pier  delle  Vigne,  the  Chancellor  of 
Frederick  II. ;  of  low  birth,  he  rose  to  the  first  place  in  the  state ; 
he  was  one  of  the  earliest  writers  of  Italian  verse.     Dante  has 
placed  his  master  as  well  as  him  in  Hell.     See  Canto  X. 
*  Envie  ys  lavendere  of  the  court  alway  ; 
For  she  ne  parteth  neither  nyght  ne  day 
Out  of  the  house  of  Cesar,  thus  saith  Daunte. 

Legende  of  Goode  Women,  358-60. 


64  HELL. 

just  self.  By  the  strange  roots  of  this  tree  I  swear 
to  you,  that  I  never  broke  faith  unto  my  lord  who 
was  so  worthy  of  honor.  And  if  one  of  you  re- 
turneth  to  the  world,  let  him  comfort  my  memory 
that  yet  lies  prostrate  from  the  blow  that  envy 
gave  it." 

A  while  he  paused,  and  then,  "  Since  he  is 
silent,"  said  the  Poet  to  me,  "  lose  not  the  hour, 
but  speak  and  ask  of  him,  if  more  pleaseth  thee." 
Whereon  I  to  him,  "  Do  thou  ask  him  further  of 
what  thou  thinkest  may  satisfy  me, .  for  I  cannot, 
such  pity  fills  my  heart." 

Therefore  he  began  again,  "  So  may  this  man 
do  for  thee  freely  what  thy  speech  prays,  spirit  in- 
carcerate, still  be  pleased  to  tell  us  how  the  soul 
is  bound  within  these  knots,  and  tell  us,  if  thou 
canst,  if  any  from  such  limbs  is  ever  loosed." 

Then  the  trunk  puffed  strongly,  and  soon  that 
wind  was  changed  into  this  voice  :  "  Briefly  shall 
ye  be  answered.  When  the  ferocious  soul  depart- 
eth  from  the  body  wheref rom  itself  hath  torn  itself, 
Minos  sends  it  to  the  seventh  gulf.  It  falls  into 
the  wood,  and  no  part  is  chosen  for  it,  but  where 
fortune  flings  it,  there  it  takes  root  like  a  grain  of 
spelt ;  it  springs  up  in  a  shoot  and  to  a  wild  plant. 
The  Harpies,  feeding  then  upon  its  leaves,  give 
pain,  and  to  the  pain  a  window.^     Like  the  rest 

^  The  tearing  of  the  leaves  gives  an  outlet  to  the  woe. 


CANTO  xin.  65 

we  shall  go  for  our  spoils,^  but  not,  forsooth,  that 
any  one  may  revest  himself  with  them,  for  it" is  not 
just  to  have  that  of  which  one  deprives  himself. 
Hither  shall  we  drag  them,  and  through  the  melan- 
choly wood  shall  our  bodies  be  suspended,  each 
on  the  thorn-tree  of  his  molested  shade." 

We  were  still  attentive  to  the  trunk,  believing 
that  it  might  wish  to  say  more  to  us,  when  we  were 
surprised  by  an  uproar,  as  one  who  perceives  the 
wild  boar  and  the  chase  coming  toward  his  stand 
and  hears  the  beasts  and  the  branches  crashing. 
And  behold  two  on  the  left  hand,  naked  and 
scratched,  flying  so  violently  that  they  broke  all  the 
limbs  of  the  wood.  The  one  in  front  was  shout- 
ing, "  Now,  help,  help,  Death  !  "  and  the  other,  who 
seemed  to  himself  too  slow,  "  Lano,  thy  legs  were 
not  so  nimble  at  the  jousts  of  the  Toppo :  "  ^  and 
when  perhaps  his  breath  was  failing,  of  himself 
and  of  a  bush  he  made  a  group.  Behind  them  the 
wood  was  full  of  black  bitches,  ravenous  and  run- 
ning like  greyhounds  that  have  been  unleashed. 
On  him  that  had  squatted  they  set  their  teeth  and 
tore  him  to  pieces,  bit  by  bit,  then  carried  off  his 
woeful  limbs. 

^  Our  bodies,  at  the  Last  Judgment. 

^  Lano  was  slain  in  flight  at  the  defeat  of  the  Sienese  by  the 
Aretines,  near  the  Pieve  del  Toppo,  in  1280.  He  and  Jacomo 
were  notorious  prodigals. 


66  HELL. 

My  Guide  then  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  led 
me  to  the  bush,  which  was  weeping  through  its 
bleeding  breaks  in  vain.  "  O  Jacomo,  of  Sant'  An- 
drea," it  was  saying,  "  what  hath  it  vantaged  thee 
to  make  of  me  a  screen?  What  blame  have  I 
for  thy  wicked  life  ? "  When  the  Master  had 
stopped  beside  it,  he  said,  "  Who  wast  thou,  who 
through  so  many  wounds  blowest  forth  with  blood 
thy  woeful  speech  ?  "  And  he  to  us,  "  O  souls  who 
art  arrived  to  see  the  shameful  ravage  that  hath 
thus  disjoined  my  leaves  from  me,  collect  them  at 
the  foot  of  the  wretched  bush.  I  was  of  the  city 
which  for  the  Baptist  changed  her  first  patron ;  ^ 
wherefore  will  he  always  make  her  sorrowful  with 
his  art.  And  were  it  not  that  at  the  passage  of  the 
Amo  some  semblance  of  him  yet  remains,  those 
citizens  who  afterwards  rebuilt  it  upon  the  ashes 
that  were  left  by  Attila^  would  have  labored  in 
vain.  I  made  a  gibbet  for  myself  of  my  own 
dwelling." 

^  The  first  patron  of  Florence  was  Mars ;  a  fragment  of  a  statue 
of  whom  stood  till  1333  on  the  Ponte  Vecchio. 

*  It  -was  not  Attila,  but  Totila,  who  in  542  besieged  Florence, 
and,  according  to  false  popular  tradition,  burned  it.  The  names 
and  personages  wete  frequently  confounded  in  the  Dark  Ages. 


CANTO  XIV. 

Third  ronnd  of  the  Seventh  Circle  :  of  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  God.  —  The  Burning  Sand.  —  Capaneus.  — 
Figure  of  the  Old  Man  in  Crete.  —  The  Rivers  of  HeU. 

Because  the  charity  of  my  native  place  con- 
strained me,  I  gathered  up  the  scattered  leaves  and 
gave  them  back  to  him  who  was  already  hoarse. 

Then  we  came  to  the  confine,  where  the  second 
round  is  diArided  from  the  third,  and  where  is  seen 
a  horrible  mode  of  justice. 

To  make  clearly  manifest  the  new  things,  I  say 
that  we  had  reached  a  plain  which  from  its  bed 
removeth  every  plant.  The  woeful  wood  is  a  gar- 
land round  about  it,  even  as  the  dismal  foss  to 
that.  Here,  on  the  very  edge,  we  stayed  our  steps. 
Tlie  floor  was  a  dry  and  dense  sand,  not  made  in 
other  fashion  than  that  which  of  old  was  trodden 
by  the  feet  of  Cato. 

O  vengeance  of  God,  how  much  thou  oughtest 
to  be  feared  by  every  one  who  readeth  that  which 
was  manifest  unto  mine  eyes  ! 

Of  naked  souls  I  saw  many  flocks,  that  were  all 
weeping  very  miserably,  and  diverse  law  seemed 


68  HELL. 

imposed  upon  them.  Some  folk  were  lying  su- 
pine on  the  ground,  some  were  seated  all  crouched 
up,  and  others  were  going  about  continually.  Those 
who  were  going  around  were  far  the  more,  and  those 
the  fewer  who  were  lying  down  under  the  torment, 
but  they  had  their  tongues  more  loose  for  wailing. 

Over  all  the  sand,  with  a  slow  falling,  were 
raining  down  dilated  flakes  of  fire,  as  of  snow 
on  alps  without  a  wind.  As  the  flames  which 
Alexander  in  those  hot  parts  of  India  saw  fall- 
ing upon  his  host,  solid  to  the  ground,  wherefore 
he  took  care  to  trample  the  soil  by  his  troops, 
because  the  vapor  was  better  extinguished  while 
it  was  single  ;  so  was  descending  the  eternal  glow 
whereby  the  sand  was  kindled,  like  tinder  be- 
neath the  steel,  for  doubling  of  the  dole.  With- 
out repose  was  ever  the  dance  of  the  wretched 
hands,  now  there,  now  here,  brushing  from  them 
the  fresh  burning. 

I  began,  "Master,  thou  that  overcomest  every- 
thing, except  the  obdurate  demons,  who  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  gate  came  out  against  us,  who  is  that 
great  one  that  seemeth  not  to  heed  the  fire,  and 
lies  scornful  and  contorted,  so  that  the  rain  seems 
not  to  ripen  him  ?  "  And  that  same  one  who  had 
perceived  that  I  was  asking  my  Leader  about  him, 
cried  out,  "  Such  as  I  was  alive,  such  am  I  dead. 
Though  Jove   weary  his    smith,   from   whom   in 


CANTO  XIV.  69 

wrath  he  took  the  sharp  thunderbolt  wherewith  on 
my  last  day  I  was  smitten,  or  though  he  weary  the 
others,  turn  by  turn,  in  Mongibello  at  the  black 
forge,  crying,  '  Good  Vulcan,  help,  help !  '  even  as 
he  did  at  the  fight  of  Phlegra,  and  should  hurl  on 
me  with  all  his  might,  thereby  he  should  not  have 
glad  vengeance." 

Then  my  Leader  spoke  with  force  so  great  that  I 
had  not  heard  him  so  loud,  "  O  Capaneus,  in  that 
thy  pride  is  not  quenched,  art  thou  the  more  pun- 
ished ;  no  torture  save  thine  own  rage  would  be  a 
pain  adequate  to  thy  fury." 

Then  he  turned  round  to  me  with  better  look, 
saying,  "  He  was  one  of  the  Seven  Kings  that  be- 
sieged Thebes,  and  he  held,  and  it  appears  that  he 
holds  God  in  disdain,  and  little  it  appears  that  he 
prizes  Him  ;  but  as  I  said  to  him,  his  own  despites 
are  very  due  adornments  for  his  breast.  Now  come 
on  behind  me,  and  take  heed  withal,  not  to  set  thy 
feet  upon  the  burning  sand,  but  keep  them  always 
close  imto  the  wood." 

Silent  we  came  to  where  spirts  forth  from  the 
wood  a  little  streamlet,  the  redness  of  which  still 
makes  me  shudder.  As  from  the  Bulicame  issues 
a  brooklet,  which  then  the  sinful  women  share 
among  them,  so  this  down  across  the  sand  went 
along.^     Its  bed  and  both  its  sloping  banks  were 

^  The  Bulicame,  a  hot  spring  near  Viterbo,  much  frequented 


70  HELL. 

made  of  stone,  and  the  margins  on  the  side,  where* 
by  I  perceived  that  the  crossing  ^  was  there. 

"  Among  all  else  that  I  have  shown  to  thee, 
since  we  entered  through  the  gate  whose  threshold 
is  barred  to  no  one,  nothing  has  been  discerned  by 
thine  eyes  so  notable  as  is  the  present  stream 
which  deadens  all  the  flamelets  upon  it."  These 
words  were  of  my  Leader,  wherefore  I  prayed  him, 
that  he  should  give  me  largess  of  the  food  for 
which  he  had  given  me  largess  of  desire. 

"  In  mid  sea  sits  a  wasted  land,"  said  he  then, 
"which  is  named  Crete,  under  whose  king  the 
world  of  old  was  chaste.  A  mountain  is  there  that 
of  old  was  glad  with  waters  and  with  leaves,  which 
is  called  Ida;  now  it  is  desert,  like  a  thing  out- 
worn. Rhea  chose  it  of  old  for  the  trusty  cradle 
of  her  little  son,  and  to  conceal  him  better  when 
he  cried  had  shoutings  made  there.  Within  the 
mountain  stands  erect  a  great  old  man,  who  holds 
his  shoulders  turned  towards  Damietta,  and  looks 
at  Rome  as  if  his  mirror.  His  head  is  formed  of 
fine  gold,  and  pui-e  silver  are  his  arms  and  breast ; 
then  he  is  of  brass  far  as  to  the  fork.  From  there 
downward  he  is  all  of  chosen  iron,  save  that  his 
right  foot  is  of  baked  clay,  and  he  stands  erect  on 

as  a  bath,  the  use  of  a  portion  of  which  was  assigned  to  "sinful 
women." 

*  The  crossing  of  the  breadth  of  the  round  of  burning  sand,  on 
^the  way  inward  toward  the  next  circle. 


CANTO  XIV.  71 

tliat  more  than  on  the  other.^  Every  part  except 
the  gold  is  cleft  with  a  fissure  that  trickles  tears, 
which  collected  perforate  that  cavern.  Their  course 
falls  from  rock  to  rock  into  this  valley  ;  they  form 
Acheron,  Styx,  and  Phlegethon ;  then  it  goes  down 
through  this  narrow  channel  far  as  where  there  is 
no  more  descending.  They  form  Cocytus,  and 
what  that  pool  is,  thou  shalt  see ;  therefore  here  is 
it  not  told." 

And  I  to  him,  "  If  the  present  rill  floweth  down 
thus  from  our  world,  why  doth  it  appear  to  us  only 
at  this  rim?" 

And  he  to  me,  "  Thou  knowest  that  the  place  is 
round,  and  though  thou  art  come  far,  ever  to  the 
left  descending  toward  the  bottom,  not  yet  hast 
thou  turned  through  the  whole  circle  ;  wherefore 
if  a  new  thing  appears  to  us,  it  ought  not  to  bring 
wonder  to  thy  face." 

And  I  again,  "  Master,  where  are  Phlegethon 
and  Lethe  found,  for  of  the  one  thou  art  silent, 
and  of  the  other  thou  sayest  that  it  is  formed  by 
this  rain  ?  " 

"  In  all  thy  questions  surely  thou  pleasest  me," 

^  This  image  is  taken  directly  from  the  dream  of  Nehuehad- 
nezzar  (Daniel  ii.  31-33).  It  is  the  type  of  the  ages  of  tradition 
and  history,  with  its  back  to  the  past,  its  face  toward  Rome, — the 
seat  of  the  Empire  and  of  the  Church.  The  tears  of  the  sin  and 
suffering  of  the  generations  of  man  form  the  rivers  of  Hell. 


72  HELL. 

he  answered,  "  but  the  boiling  of  the  red  water 
ought  truly  to  solve  one  that  thou  askest.  Lethe 
thou  shalt  see,  but  outside  of  this  ditch,  there  where 
souls  go  to  lave  themselves  when  sin  repented  of  is 
taken  a, way."  Then  he  said,  "  Now  it  is  time  to 
depart  from  the  wood  ;  take  heed  that  thou  come 
behind  me ;  the  margins  afford  way,  for  they  are 
not  burning,  and  above  them  all  the  vapor  is  extin- 
guished." 


CANTO  XV. 

Third  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle  :  of  those  who  have  done 
violence  to  Nature.  —  Brunetto  LatinL  —  Prophecies  of  mis- 
fortune to  Dante. 

Now  one  of  the  hard  margins  bears  us  on,  and 
the  fume  of  the  brook  overshadows  so  that  it 
saves  the  water  and  the  banks  from  the  fire.  As 
the  Flemings,  between  Wissant  and  Bruges,  fear- 
ing the  flood  that  is  blown  in  upon  them,  make 
the  dyke  whereby  the  sea  is  routed ;  and  as  the 
Paduans  along  the  Brenta,.  in  order  to  defend  their 
towns  and  castles,  ere  Chiarentana  ^  feel  the  heat, 
—  in  such  like  were  these  made,  though  neither  so 
high  nor  so  thick  had  the  master,  whoever  he  was, 
made  them. 

We  were  now  so  remote  from  the  wood  that  I 
coidd  not  have  seen  where  it  was  though  I  had 
turned  me  round  to  look,  when  we  encountered  a 
troop  of  souls  which  was  coming  along  by  the 
bank,  and  each  of  them  was  looking  at  us,  as  at 
eve  one  is  wont  to  look  at  another  imder  the  new 

^  The  mountain  range  north  of  the  Brenta,  by  the  floods  from 
which  the  river  is  swollen  in  the  spring. 


74  HELL. 

moon,  and  they  so  sharpened  their  brows  toward 
us  as  the  old  tailor  does  on  the  needle's  eye. 

Thus  gazed  at  by  that  company,  I  was  recog- 
nized by  one  who  took  me  by  the  hem,  and  cried 
out,  "  What  a  marvel !  "  And  when  he  stretched 
out  his  ann  to  me,  I  fixed  my  eyes  on  his  baked 
aspect  so  that  his  scorched  visage  prevented  not 
my  mind  from  recognizing  him;  and  bending  down 
my  own  to  his  face,  I  answered,  "  Are  you  here. 
Sir  Brunetto  ?  "  ^  And  he,  "  O  my  son,  let  it  not 
displease  thee  if  Brunetto  Latini  turn  a  little  back 
with  thee,  and  let  the  train  go  on."  I  said  to  him, 
*'With  all  my  power  I  pray  this  of  you,  and  if  you 
will  that  I  seat  myself  with  you  I  will  do  so,  if  it 
pleaseth  this  one,  for  I  go  with  him."  "  O  son," 
said  he,  "  whoever  of  this  herd  stops  for  an  instant 
lies  then  a  hundred  years  without  fanning  himself 
when  the  fire  smites  him ;  therefore  go  onward,  I 
will  come  at  thy  skirts,  and  then  I  will  rejoin  my 
band  which  goeth  weeping  its  eternal  sufferings." 

^  Brunetto  Latini,  one  of  the  most  learned  and  able  Florentines 
of  the  thirteenth  centnry.  He  was  banished  with  the  other  chiefs 
of  the  Guelph  party,  after  the  battle  of  Montaperti,  in  1260,  and 
vent  to  France,  where  he  resided  for  many  years.  After  his  re- 
turn to  Florence  hp  became  Secretary  of  the  Commune,  and  he 
was  the  master  of  Dante  Mid  Guido  Cavaleanti.  His  principal 
literary  work  was  Li  Livres  dou  Tresor,  written  in  French,  an 
interesting  compend  of  the  omne  scibile.  He  died  in  1290.  Dante 
uses  the  plural  "  you  "  in  addressing  him,  as  a  sign  of  respect. 


CANTO  XV.  76 

I  dared  not  descend  from  the  road  to  go  level 
with  hun,  but  I  held  my  head  bowed  like  one  who 
goes  reverently.  He  began,  "  What  fortune,  or 
destiny,  ere  the  last  day,  brings  thee  down  here  ? 
and  who  is  this  that  shows  the  road  ?  " 

"  There  above,  in  the  clear  life,"  I  answered  him, 
"  I  lost  myself  in  a  valley,  before  my  time  was  full. 
Only  yester  mom  I  turned  my  back  on  it ;  this  one  ^ 
appeared  to  me  as  I  was  returning  to  it,  and  he  is 
leading  me  homeward  along  this  path." 

And  he  to  me :  "  If  thou  follow  thy  star,  thou 
canst  not  miss  the  glorious  port,  if,  in  the  beautiful 
life,  I  discerned  aright.  And  if  I  had  not  so  un- 
timely died,  seeing  heaven  so  benignant  unto  thee 
I  would  have  given  cheer  unto  thy  work.  But  that 
ungrateful  populace  malign  which  descended  from 
Fiesole  of  old  ,2  and  smacks  yet  of  the  mountain 
and  the  rock,  will  hate  thee  because  of  thy  good 
deeds  ;  and  this  is  right,  for  among  the  bitter  sorb- 

^  Dante  never  speaks  Virgil's  name  in  Hell. 

"  After  his  flight  from  Rome  Catiline  betook  himself  to  Fae- 
snlae  (Fiesole),  and  here  for  a  time  held  ont  against  the  Roman 
forces.  The  popular  tradition  ran  that,  after  his  defeat,  Faesulae 
v/as  destroyed,  and  its  people,  together  with  a  colony  from  Rome, 
made  a  settlement  on  the  banks  of  the  Amo,  below  the  mountain 
on  which  Faesulae  had  stood.  The  new  town  was  named  Fiora, 
aiccome  fosse  in  fiora  edificata,  "  as  though  built  among  flowers," 
but  afterwards  was  called  Fiorenza,  or  Florence.  See  G.  Villani, 
Cronica,  I.  xxxi.-xxxviii. 


76  HELL. 

trees  it  is  not  fitting  the  sweet  fig  should  bear 
fruit.  Old  report  in  the  world  calls  them  blind  ; 
it  is  a  people  avaricious,  envious,  and  proud  ;  from 
their  customs  take  heed  that  thou  keep  thyself 
clean.  Thy  fortune  reserves  such  honor  for  thee 
that  one  party  and  the  other  shall  hunger  for  thee  ; 
but  far  from  the  goat  shall  be  the  grass.  Let  the 
Fiesolan  beasts  make  litter  of  themselves,  and 
touch  not  the  plant,  if  any  spring  still  upon  their 
dungheap,  in  which  may  live  again  the  holy  seed 
of  those  Romans  who  remained  there  when  it  be- 
came the  nest  of  so  much  malice." 

"  If  all  my  entreaty  were  fulfilled,"  replied  I  to 
him,  "  you  would  not  yet  be  placed  in  banishment 
from  human  nature ;  for  in  my  mind  is  fixed,  and 
now  fills  my  heart,  the  dear,  good,  paternal  image 
of  you,  when  in  the  world  hour  by  hour  you  taught 
me  how  man  makes  himself  eternal  •  and  in  what 
gratitude  I  hold  it,  so  long  as  I  live,  it  behoves 
that  on  my  tongue  should  be  discerned.  That 
which  you  tell  me  of  my  course  I  write,  and  re- 
serve it  to  be  glossed  with  other  text,^  by  a  Lady, 
who  will  know  how,  if  I  attain  to  her.  Thus  much 
would  I  have  manifest  to  you :  if  only  that  my  con- 
science chide  me  not,  for  Fortune,  as  she  will,  I  am 

^  The  prophecy  by  Ciacco  of  the  fall  of  Dante's  party,  Canto 
vi.,  and  that  by  Farinata  of  Dante's  exile,  Canto  x.,  which  Virgil 
had  told  should  be  made  clear  to  him  by  Beatrice. 


CANTO  XV.  77 

ready.  Such  earnest  is  not  strange  unto  my  ears ; 
therefore  let  Fortune  turn  her  wheel  as  pleases 
her,  and  the  churl  his  mattock."  ^ 

My  Master  then  upon  his  right  side  turned  him-^ 
self  back,  and  looked  at  me ;  then  said,  "  He  lis- 
tens well  who  notes  it." 

Not  the  less  for  this  do  I  go  on  speaking  with 
Sir  Brunetto,  and  I  ask,  who  are  his  most  known 
and  most  eminent  companions.  And  he  to  me, 
"  To  know  of  some  is  good,  of  the  others  silence 
will  be  laudable  for  us,  for  the  time  would  be  short 
for  so  much  speech.  In  brief,  know  that  all  were 
clerks,  and  great  men  of  letters,  and  of  great  fame, 
defiled  in  the  world  with  one  same  sin.  Priscian 
goes  along  with  that  disconsolate  crowd,  and  Fran- 
cesco of  Accorso ;  ^  and  thou  mightest  also  have 
seen,  hadst  thou  had  desire  of  such  scurf,  him  who 
by  the  Servant  of  Servants  was  translated  from 
Arno  to  Bacchiglione,  where  he  left  his  ill-strained 
nerves.3  Of  more  would  I  teU,  but  the  going  on 
and  the  speech  cannot  be  longer,  for  I  see  yonder 
a  new  cloud  rising  from  the  sand.    Folk  come  with 

^  The  churl  of  Fiesole. 

2  Priscian,  the  famous  grammarian  of  the  sixth  century ;  Fran- 
cis of  Accorso,  a  jurist  of  great  repute,  who  taught  at  Oxford 
and  at  Bologna,  and  died  in  1294. 

'  Andrea  de'  Mozzi,  bishop  of  Florence,  translated  by  Boniface 
VIII.  to  Vicenza,  near  which  the  Bacchiglione  runs.  He  died  in 
1296. 


78  HELL. 

whom  I  must  not  be.  Let  my  Tesoro  be  com- 
mended to  thee,  in  which  I  still  am  living,  and 
more  I  ask  not." 

Then  he  turned  back,  and  seemed  of  those  who 
run  at  Verona  for  the  green  cloth  ^  across  the  plain, 
and  of  these  he  seemed  the  one  that  wins,  and  not 
he  that  loses. 

1  The  prize  in  the  annual  races  at  Verona. 


CANTO  XVI. 

Thiird  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle  :  of  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  Nature.  —  Guido  Guerra,  Tegghiaio  Aldo- 
braudi  and  Jacopo  Rusticucci.  —  The  roar  of  Phlegethon  as 
it  pours  downward.  —  The  cord  thrown  into  the  abyss. 

Now  was  I  in  a  place  where  the  resounding  of 
the  water  that  was  falling  into  the  next  circle  was 
heard,  like  that  hum  which  the  beehives  make, 
when  three  shades  together  separated  themselves, 
running,  from  a  troop  that  was  passing  under  the 
rain  of  the  bitter  torment.  They  came  toward  us, 
and  each  cried  out,  "  Stop  thou,  that  by  thy  garb 
seemest  to  us  to  be  one  from  our  wicked  city ! " 

Ah  me !  what  woimds  I  saw  upon  their  limbs, 
recent  and  old,  burnt  in  by  the  flames.  Still  it 
grieves  me  for  them  but  to  remember  it. 

To  their  cries  my  Teacher  gave  heed  ;  he  turned 
his  face  toward  me,  and  "  Now  wait,"  he  said  ;  "  to 
these  one  should  be  courteous,  and  were  it  not  for 
the  fire  that  the  nature  of  the  place  shoots  out,  I 
should  say  that  haste  better  befitted  thee  than 
them." 

They  began   again,  when   we  stopped,  the  old 


80  HELL. 

verse,  and  when  they  had  reached  us  they  made 
a  wheel  of  themselves  all  three.  As  champions 
naked  and  oiled  are  wont  to  do,  watching  their 
hold  and  their  vantage,  before  they  come  to  blows 
and  thrusts,  thus,  wheeling,  each  directed  his  face 
on  me,  so  that  his  neck  in  contrary  direction  to  his 
feet  was  making  continuous  journey. 

"  Ah  !  if  the  misery  of  this  shifting  sand  bring 
us  and  our  prayers  into  contemj)t,"  began  one, 
"  and  our  darkened  and  blistered  aspect,  let  our 
fame  incline  thy  mind  to  tell  us  who  thou  art,  that 
so  securely  plantest  thy  living  feet  in  Hell.  He 
whose  tracks  thou  seest  me  trample,  though  he  go 
naked  and  singed,  was  of  greater  state  than  thou 
thinkest.  Grandson  he  was  of  the  good  Gual- 
drada ;  his  name  was  Guidoguerra,  and  in  his  life 
he  did  much  with  counsel,  and  with  the  sword. 
The  other  who  treads  the  sand  behind  me  is  Teg- 
ghiaio  Aldobrandi,  whose  fame  should  be  welcome 
in  the  world  above.  And  I,  who  am  set  with  them 
on  the  cross,  was  Jacopo  Kusticucci,^  and  surely 
my  savage  wife  more  than  aught  else  injures  me." 

^  Concerning  Tegghiaicf  and  Rusticucci  Dante  had  enquired  of 
Ciacco,  Canto  vi.  They  and  Guido  Guerra  were  illustrious  citi- 
zens of  Florence  in  the  thirteenth  century.  Their  deeds  are  re- 
corded by  Villani  and  Rieordano  Malespini.  The  good  Gual- 
drada,  famed  for  her  beauty  and  her  modesty,  was  the  daughter 
of  Messer  Bellincione  Berti,  referred  to  in  Cantos  xv.  and  xvi.  of 
Paradise  as  one  of  the  early  worthies  of  the  city.  See  Q.  Vil* 
lani,  Cronica.  V.  xxxvii. 


CANTO  xri.  81 

If  I  could  have  been  sheltered  from  the  fire  I 
would  have  cast  myself  below  among  them,  and 
I  think  that  the  Teacher  would  have  permitted  it ; 
but  because  I  should  have  been  scorched  and  baked, 
fear  overcame  my  good  will  that  made  me  gTeedy 
to  embrace  them.  Then  I  began :  "  Not  contempt, 
but  grief,  did  your  condition  fix  within  me,  so  that 
slowly  wi]l  it  be  all  divested,  soon  as  this  my  Lord 
said  words  to  me  by  which  I  understood  that  such 
folk  as  ye  are  might  be  coming.  Of  your  city  I 
am ;  and  always  your  deeds  and  honored  names 
have  I  retraced  and  heard  with  affection.  I  leave 
the  gall  and  go  for  the  sweet  fruits  promised  me 
by  my  veracious  Leader ;  but  far  as  the  centre 
needs  must  I  first  descend." 

"  So  may  thy  soul  long  direct  thy  limbs,"  replied 
he  then,  "  and  so  may  thy  fame  shine  after  thee, 
say  if  courtesy  and  valor  abide  in  our  city  as  they 
were  wont,  or  if  they  have  quite  gone  forth  from 
it  ?  For  Guglielmo  Borsiere,^  who  is  in  torment 
with  us  but  short  while,  and  goes  yonder  with  our 
companions,  afflicts  us  greatly  with  his  words." 

"  The  new  people  and  the  sudden  gains  ^  have 
generated  pride  and  excess,  Florence,  in  thee,  so 

^  Notliing'  is  known  from  contemporaxy  record  of  Borsiere,  but 
Boccaccio  tells  a  story  of  him  in  the  Decameron,  giorn.  i.  nov.  8. 

^  Florence  had  grown  rapidly  in  population  and  in  wealth  dar- 
ing the  last  years  of  the  thirteenth  century. 


82  HELL. 

that  already  thou  weepest  thereat."  Thus  cried  I 
with  face  uplifted.  And  the  three,  who  understood 
that  for  answer,  looked  one  at  the  other,  as  men 
look  at  hearing  truth. 

"  If  other  times  it  costeth  thee  so  little,"  replied 
they  all,  "  to  satisfy  others,  happy  thou  that  thus 
speakest  at  thy  pleasure.  Therefore,  if  thou  es- 
capest  from  these  dark  places,  and  returnest  to 
see  again  the  beautiful  stars,  when  it  shall  rejoice 
thee  to  say,  '  I  have  been,'  mind  thou  speak  of 
us  unto  the  people."  Then  they  broke  the  wheel, 
and  in  flying  their  swift  legs  seemed  wings. 

Not  an  amen  could  have  been  said  so  quickly  as 
they  had  disappeared ;  wherefore  it  seemed  good 
to  my  Master  to  depart.  I  followed  him,  and  we 
had  gone  little  way  before  the  sound  of  the  water 
was  so  near  to  us,  that  had  we  spoken  we  scarce 
had  heard.  As  that  river  on  the  left  slope  of 
the  Apennine,  which,  the  first  from  Monte  Veso 
toward  the  east,  has  its  proper  course,  —  which  is 
called  Acquacheta  up  above,  before  it  sinks  valley- 
ward  into  its  low  bed,  and  at  Forli  no  longer  has 
that  name,^  —  reverberates  from  the  alp  in  falling 
with   a   single  leap  there   above   San   Benedetto, 

1  At  Forli  the  river  is  called  the  Montone ;  it  was  the  first  of 
the  rivers  on  the  left  of  the  Apennines  that  had  its  course  to  the 
sea ;  the  others  before  it  being  tributaries  of  the  Po,  which  rises 
on  Monte  Veso. 


CANTO  XVI.  83 

where  there  ought  to  be  shelter  for  a  thousand ;  ^ 
thus  down  from  a  precipitous  bank  we  found  that 
dark-tinted  water  resounding,  so  that  in  short  while 
it  would  have  hurt  the  ears. 

I  had  a  cord  girt  around  me,  and  with  it  I  had 
once  thought  to  take  the  leopard  of  the  dappled 
skin.2  After  I  had  loosed  it  wholly  from  me,  even 
as  my  Leader  had  commanded  me,  I  reached  it  to 
him  wound  up  and  coiled.  Whereon  he  turned 
toward  the  right,  and  somewhat  far  from  the  edge 
threw  it  down  into  that  deep  abyss.  "  And  surely 
some  strange  thing  must  needs  respond,"  said  I  to 
myself,  "  to  the  strange  signal  which  the  Master  so 
follows  with  his  eye." 

Ah !  how  cautious  men  ought  to  be  near  those 
who  see  not  only  the  act,  but  with  their  wisdom 
look  within  the  thoughts.  He  said  to  me  :  "  Soon 
will  come  up  that  which  I  await,  and  what  thy 
thought  is  dreaming  must  soon  discover  itself  unto 
thy  sight." 

To  that  truth  which  has  the  aspect  of  falsehood 
ought  one  always  to  close  his  lips  so  far  as  he  can, 

^  These  last  words  are  obscure,  and  none  of  the  commentators 
explain  them  satisfactorily. 

^  The  leopard  of  the  dappled  skin,  which  had  often  turned 
back  Dante  from  the  Mountain  to  the  Dark  Wood  (see  Canto  i.)  ; 
the  type  of  sensual  sin.  The  cord  is  the  t3rpe  of  religious  asceti- 
cism, of  which  the  poet  no  longer  has  need.  The  meaning  of  its 
use  as  a  signal  is  not  apparent. 


84  HELL. 

because  without  fault  it  causes  shame  ;  ^  but  here  I 
cannot  be  silent,  and  by  the  notes  of  this  comedy, 
Reader,  I  swear  to  thee,  —  so  may  they  not  be  void 
of  lasting  grace,  —  that  1  saw  through  that  thick 
and  dark  air  a  shape  come  swimming  upwards  mar- 
velous to  every  steadfast  heart ;  like  as  he  returns 
who  goes  down  sometimes  to. loose  an  anchor  that 
grapples  either  a  rock  or  other  thing  that  in  the 
sea  is  hid,  who  stretches  upward,  and  draws  in  his 
feet. 

^  Because  the  narrator  is  falsely  taxed  with  falsehood. 


CAj^n:o  xvn. 

Third  round  of  the  Seventh  Circle :  of  those  who  have 
done  violence  to  Art.  —  Greryon.  —  The  Usurers.  —  Descent 
to  the  Eighth  Circle. 

"  Behold  the  wild  beast  with  the  pointed  tail, 
that  passes  mountains,  and  breaks  walls  and  weap- 
ons ;  behold  him  that  infects  all  the  world."  ^  Thus 
began  my  Leader  to  speak  to  me ;  and  he  beck- 
oned to  him  that  he  should  come  to  shore  near 
the  end  of  the  trodden  marbles.^  And  that  loath- 
some image  of  fraud  came  onward,  and  landed 
his  head  and  his  body,  but  drew  not  his  tail  upon 
the  bank.  His  face  was  the  face  of  a  just  man 
(so  benignant  was  its  skin  outwardly),  and  of  a 
serpent  all  the  trunk  beside ;  he  had  two  paws, 
hairy  to  the  armpits ;  his  back  and  breast  and 
both  his  sides  were  painted  with  nooses  and  circles. 
With  more  colors  of  woof  and  warp   Tartars  or 

^  Dante  makes  (^eryon  the  type  and  image  of  Fraud,  thus 
allegorizing  the  triple  form  {forma  tricorporis  umbrae :  Aeneid  vL 
289 ;  tergemini  Geryonae ;  Id.  viii.  292)  ascribed  to  him  by  the 
ancient  poets. 

2  The  stony  margin  of  Phlegethon,  on  which  Virgil  and  Dante 
have  crossed  the  sand. 


86  HELL. 

Turks  never  made  clotb,  nor  were  such  webs  woven 
by  Arachne. 

As  sometimes  boats  lie  on  the  shore,  so  that  they 
are  partly  in  water  and  partly  on  the  ground,  and 
as  yonder,  among  the  gluttonous  Germans,  the 
beaver  settles  himself  to  make  his  war,^  so  lay  that 
worst  of  beasts  upon  the  rim  that  closes  in  the 
sand  with  stone.  In  the  void  all  his  tail  was  quiv- 
ering, twisting  upwards  its  venomous  fork,  which 
like  a  scorpion's  armed  the  point. 

The  Leader  said :  "  Now  needs  must  our  way 
bend  a  little  toward  that  wicked  beast  that  is 
couching  there."  Therefore  we  descended  on  the 
right  hand  and  took  ten  steps  upon  the  verge  quite 
to  avoid  the  sand  and  flame.  And  when  we  had 
come  to  it,  I  see,  a  little  farther  on,  people  sitting 
upon  the  sand  near  to  the  void  place.^ 

Here  the  Master  said  to  me  :  "  In  order  that 
thou  mayst  bear  away  complete  experience  of  this 
round,  now  go  and  see  their  condition.  Let  thy 
discourse  there  be  brief.  Till  thou  returnest  I  will 
speak  with  this  one,  that  he  may  concede  to  us  his 
strong  shoulders." 

1  With  his  tail  in  the  water  to  catch  his  prey,  as  was  popiilarly 
believed. 

^  These  people  are  the  third  class  of  sinners  punished  in  this 
ronnd  of  the  Seventh  Circle,  those  who  have  done  violence  to  Art, 
the  usurers.     (See  Canto  xi.) 


CANTO  XVIL  87 

Thus,  still  up  by  the  extreme  head  of  that 
seventh  circle,  all  alone,  I  went  where  the  sad  peo- 
ple were  sitting.  Through  the  eyes  their  woe  was 
bursting  forth.  This  way  and  that  they  helped 
with  their  hands,  sometimes  against  the  vapors,^ 
and  sometimes  against  the  hot  soU.  Not  otherwise 
do  the  dogs  in  summer,  now  with  muzzle,  now  with 
paw,  when  they  are  bitten  either  by  fleas,  or  flies, 
or  gadflies.  When  I  set  my  eyes  on  the  face  of 
some  on  whom  the  woeful  fire  falls,  not  one  of 
them  I  recognized ;  ^  but  I  perceived  that  from  the 
neck  of  each  was  hanging  a  pouch,  that  had  a  cer- 
tain color  and  a  certain  device,^  and  thereupon  it 
seems  their  eyes  feed.  And  as  I  looking  come 
among  them,  I  saw  upon  a  yellow  purse  azure  that 
had  the  face  and  bearing  of  a  lion.*  Then  as  the 
current  of  my  look  proceeded  I  saw  another,  red 
as  blood,  display  a  goose  whiter  than  butter.  And 
one,  who  had  his  little  white  bag  marked  with  an 
azure  and  pregnant  sow,^  said  to  me,  "  What  art 
thou  doing  in  this  ditch  ?     Now  get  thee  gone,  and 

*  The  falling  flames. 

2  Dante  thus  indicates  that  they  were  not  worthy  to  be  known. 
'  The  blazon  of  their  arms,  by  which  Dante  learns  who  they 
are. 

*  This  was  the  device  of  the  Gianfigliazzi,  a  Guelph  family  of 
Florence  ;  the  next  was  that  of  the  Ubriachi,  Ghibellines,  also  cf 
Florence. 

^  Arras  of  the  Scrovigni  of  Padua. 


88  BELL. 

since  thou  art  still  alive,  know  that  my  neighbor, 
Vitaliano,  will  sit  here  at  my  left  side.  With  these 
Florentines  am  I,  a  Paduan  ;  often  they  stun  my 
ears  shouting,  '  Let  the  sovereign  cavalier  come 
who  will  bring  the  pouch  with  the  three  goats.'  "  ^ 
Then  he  twisted  his  mouth,  and  stuck  out  his 
tongue,  like  an  ox  that  licks  his  nose. 

And  I,  fearing  lest  longer  stay  might  vex  him 
who  had  admonished  me  to  stay  but  little,  turned 
back  from  these  weary  souis.  I  found  my  Leader, 
who  had  already  mounted  upon  the  croup  of  the 
fierce  animal,  and  he  said  to  me,  "  Now  be  strong 
and  courageous  ;  henceforth  the  descent  is  by  such 
stairs ;  ^  mount  thou  in  front,  for  I  wish  to  be  be- 
tween, so  that  the  tail  cannot  do  thee  harm." 

As  is  he  who  hath  the  shivering  fit  of  the  quar- 
tan so  near  that  his  nails  are  already  pallid,  and  he 
is  all  of  a  tremble  only  looking  at  the  shade,  such  I 
became  at  these  words  uttered.  But  his  reproaches 
wrought  shame  in  me,  which  in  presence  of  a  good 
lord  makes  a  servant  strong. 

1  seated  myself  on  those  huge  shoulders.  I 
wished  to  speak  thus,  "Take  heed  that  thou  em- 
brace me,"  but  the  voice  came  not  as  I  had  thought. 

^  One  Giovanni  Buiamonte  of  Florence,  "  who  surpassed  all 
others  of  the  time  in  usury,"  says  Benvenuto  da  Imola. 

2  Not  by  foot,  nor  by  boat  as  heretofore,  but  carried  by  living 
ministers  of  Hell. 


CANTO  XVII.  89 

But  he  who  other  time  had  succored  me,  in  other 
peri],  soon  as  I  mounted,  clasped  and  sustained 
me  with  his  arms :  and  he  said,  "  Geryon,  move 
on  now ;  let  the  circles  be  wide,  and  the  descend- 
ing slow;  consider  the  strange  burden  that  thou 
hast." 

As  a  little  vessel  goeth  from  its  place,  backward, 
backward,  so  he  thence  withdrew ;  and  when  he 
felt  himself  quite  at  play,  he  turned  his  tail  to 
where  his  breast  had  been,  and  moved  it,  stretched 
out  like  an  eel,  and  with  his  paws  gathered  the  air 
to  himself.  Greater  fear  I  do  not  think  there  was 
when  Phaethon  abandoned  the  reins,  whereby  heaven, 
as  is  still  apparent,  was  scorched ;  nor  when  the 
wretched  Icarus  felt  his  flanks  unfeathering  through 
the  melting  of  the  wax,  his  father  shouting  to  him, 
"111  way  thou  boldest,"  than  mine  was,  when  I 
saw  that  I  was  in  the  air  on  every  side,  and  saw 
every  sight  vanished,  except  that  of  the  beast.  He 
goes  along  swimming  very  slowly,  wheels  and  de- 
scends, but  I  perceive  it  not,  save  by  the  wind  upon 
my  face,  and  from  below. 

I  heard  now  on  the  right  hand  the  gorge  making 
beneath  us  a  horrible  roar ;  wherefore  I  stretch 
out  my  head,  with  my  eyes  downward.  Then  I  be- 
came more  afraid  to  lean  over,  because  I  saw  fires 
and  heard  laments ;  whereat  I,  trembling,  wholly 
cowered  back.     And  I  saw  then,  what  I  had  not 


90  HELL. 

seen  before,  the  descending  and  the  wheeling,  by 
the  great  evils  that  were  drawing  near  on  diverse 
sides. 

As  the  falcon  which  has  been  long  on  wing,  that, 
without  sight  of  lure  or  bird,  makes  the  falconer 
say,  "  Ah  me,  thou  stoopest !  "  —  descends  weary, 
there  whence  he  had  set  forth  swiftly,  through 
a  hundred  circles,  and  lights  far  from  his  master, 
disdainful  and  sullen  ;  so  Geryon  set  us  at  the  bot- 
tom, at  the  very  foot  of  the  scarped  rock,  and,  dis- 
burdened of  our  persons,  darted  away  as  arrow 
from  the  bowstring. 


CANTO  xvin. 

Eighth  Circle :  the  first  pit :  panders  and  sedncers.  — 
Venedico  Caccianimico.  —  Jason.  —  Second  pit :  false  flat- 
terers. —  Alessio  Interminei.  —  Thais. 

There  is  a  plax;e  in  Hell  called  Malebolge,  all 
of  stone  of  the  color  of  iron,  as  is  the  encircling 
wall  that  surrounds  it.  Right  in  the  middle  of 
this  field  malign  yawns  an  abyss  exceeding  wide 
and  deep,  the  structure  of  which  I  will  tell  of  in  its 
place.  That  belt,  therefore,  which  remains  between 
the  abyss  and  the  foot  of  the  high  bank  is  circu- 
lar, and  it  has  its  ground  divided  into  ten  valleys. 
Such  an  aspect  as  where,  for  guard  of  the  walls, 
many  moats  encircle  castles,  the  place  where  they 
are  presents,  such  image  did  these  make  here.  And 
as  in  such  strongholds  from  their  thresholds  to  the 
outer  bank  are  little  bridges,  so  from  the  base  of 
the  precipitous  wall  stai-ted  crags  which  traversed 
the  dykes  and  the  moats  far  as  the  abyss  that  col- 
lects and  cuts  them  off. 

In  this  place,  shaken  off  from  the  back  of  Ge- 
ryon,  we  foimd  ourselves ;  and  the  Poet  held  to 
the  left,  and  I  moved  on  behind.      On  the  right 


92  HELL. 

hand  I  saw  new  sorrow,  new  torments,  and  new 
scourgers,  with  which  the  first  pit^  was  replete. 
At  its  bottom  were  the  sinners  naked.  This  side 
the  middle  they  came  facing  us  ;  on  the  farther  side 
with  us,  but  with  swifter  pace.  As  the  Romans, 
because  of  the  great  host  in  the  year  of  Jubilee,^ 
have  taken  means  upon  the  bridge  for  the  passage 
of  the  people,  who  on  one  side  all  have  their  front 
toward  the  Castle,^  and  go  to  Saint  Peter's,  and  on 
the  other  toward  the  Mount.* 

Along  the  gloomy  rock,  on  this  side  and  on  that, 
I  saw  horned  demons  with  great  scourges,  who  were 
beating  them  cruelly  from  behind.  Ah !  how  they 
made  them  lift  their  heels  at  the  first  blows ;  truly 
not  one  waited  for  the  second,  or  the  third. 

While  I  was  going  on,  my  eyes  encountered 
one,  and  I  said  straightway,  "  Ere  now  for  sight  of 
him  I  have  not  fasted ; "  wherefore  to  shape  him 
out  I  stayed  my  feet,  and  the  sweet  Leader  stopped 
with  me,  and  assented  to  my  going  somewhat  back. 
And  that  scourged  one  thought  to  conceal  himself 
by  lowering  his  face,  but  little  it  availed  him,  for  ^ 
I  said :  "  O  thou  that  castest  thine  eye  upon  the 
ground,  if  the  features  that  thou  bearest  are  not 

1  Bolgia,  literally,  budget,  purse,  sack,  here  used  for  circolai 
valley,  or  pit. 

2  The  year  1299-1300,  from  Christmas  to  Easter. 

8  Of  Sant'  Angelo.  *  The  Capitoline, 


CANTO  XVIII.  93 

false,  thou  art  Venedico  Caccianimico ;  but  what 
brings  thee  unto  such  j)ungent  sauces  ?  " 

Aud  he  to  me,  "  Unwillingly  I  teU  it,  but  thy 
clear  speech  compels  me,  which  makes  me  recollect 
the  olden  world.  I  was  he  who  brought  the  beau- 
tiful Ghisola  ^  to  do  the  will  of  the  Marquis,  how 
ever  the  shamefid  tale  may  be  reported.  And  not 
the  only  Bolognese  do  I  weep  here,  nay,  this  place 
is  so  full  of  them,  that  so  many  tongues  are  not 
now  taught  between  Savena  and  the  Reno  to  say 
sipa  ;  ^  and  if  of  this  thou  wishest  pledge  or  testi- 
mony, bring  to  mind  our  avaricious  heart."  As 
he  spoke  thus  a  demon  struck  him  with  his  scourge 
and  said,  "  Begone,  pandar,  here  are  no  women  for 
coining." 

I  rejoined  my  Escort ;  then  with  few  steps  we 
came  to  where  a  crag  jutted  from  the  bank.^ 
Easily  enough  we  ascended  it,  and  turning  to  the 
right  *  upon  its  ridge,  from  those  eternal  circles  we 
departed. 

^  His  own  sister;  the  unseemly  tale  is  known  only  through 
Dante  and  his  fourteenth-century  commentators,  and  the  latter, 
while  agreeing  that  the  Marquis  was  one  of  the  Esti  of  Ferrara, 
do  not  agree  as  to  which  of  them  he  was. 

2  Bologna  lies  between  the  Savena  and  the  Reno ;  sipa  is  the 
Bolognese  form  of  sia,  or  si. 

^  Forming  a  bridge,  thrown  like  an  arch  across  the  pit. 

*  The  course  of  the  Poets,  which  has  mostly  been  to  the  left 
through  the  upper  Circles,  is  now  generally  to  proceed  straight 


94  HELL. 

When  we  were  there  where  it  opens  below  to 
give  passage  to  the  scourged,  the  Leader  said, 
"Stop,  and  let  the  sight  strike  on  thee  of  these 
other  miscreants,  of  whom  thou  hast  not  yet  seen 
the  face,  because  they  have  gone  along  in  the  same 
direction  with  us." 

From  the  ancient  bridge  we  looked  at  the  train 
■that  was  coming  toward  us  from  the  other  side, 
and  which  the  whip  in  like  manner  drives  on.  The 
good  Master,  without  my  asking,  said  to  me,  "  Look 
at  that  great  one  who  is  coming,  and  seems  not  to 
shed  a  tear  for  pain.  What  royal  aspect  he  still 
retains  !  He  is  Jason,  who  by  courage  and  by  wit 
despoiled  the  Colchians  of  their  ram.  He  passed 
by  the  isle  of  Lemnos,  after  the  undaunted  women 
pitiless  had  given  all  their  males  to  death.  There 
with  tokens  and  with  ornate  words  he  deceived 
Hypsipyle,  the  maiden,  who  first  had  deceived  all 
the  rest.  There  he  left  her  pregnant,  and  alone ; 
such  sin  condemns  him  to  such  torment ;  and  also 
for  Medea  is  vengeance  done.  With  him  goes 
whoso  in  such  wise  deceives.  And  let  this  suffice 
to  know  of  the  first  valley,  and  of  those  that  it 
holds  in  its  fangs." 

across  the  lower  Circles  where  Fraud  is  punished.  They  had 
been  going  to  the  left  at  the  foot  of  the  precipice,  and  conse- 
quently turn  to  the  right  to  ascend  the  bridge.  The  allegorical 
intention  in  the  direction  of  their  course  is  evident. 


CANTO  XVIU.  96 

Now  we  were  where  the  narrow  path  sets  across 
the  second  dyke,  and  makes  of  it  shoulders  for  an- 
other arch.  Here  we  heard  people  moaning  in  the 
next  pit,  and  snorting  with  their  muzzles,  and  with 
their  palms  beating  themselves.  The  banks  were 
encrusted  with  a  mould  because  of  the  breath  from 
below  that  sticks  on  them,  and  was  making  quarrel 
with  the  eyes  and  with  the  nose.  The  bottom  is  so 
hollowed  out  that  no  place  sufficeth  us  for  seeing 
it,  without  mounting  on  the  crest  of  the  arch  where 
the  crag  rises  highest.  Hither  we  came,  and  thence, 
down  in  the  ditch,  I  saw  people  plunged  in  an  ex- 
crement that  seemed  as  if  it  proceeded  from  human 
privies. 

And  while  I  am  searching  down  there  with  my 
eye,  I  saw  one  with  his  head  so  foul  with  ordure 
that  it  was  not  apparent  whether  he  were  layman 
or  clerk.  He  shouted  to  me,  "  Why  art  so  greedy 
to  look  more  at  me  than  at  the  other  filthy  ones  ?  " 
And  I  to  him,  "  Because,  if  I  remember  rightly,  ere 
now  I  have  seen  thee  with  dry  hair,  and  thou  art 
Alessio  Interminei  of  Lucca  ^ ;  therefore  I  eye  thee 
more  than  all  the  rest."  And  he  then,  beating  his 
pate,  "Down  here  those  flatteries  wherewith  my 
tongue  was  never  cloyed  have  submerged  me." 

Hereupon  my  Leader,  "  Mind  thou  push  thy  sight 
a  little  farther  forward  so  that  with  thine  eyes  thou 
^  Of  him  Dothing  is  known  bat  what  these  words  telL 


96  HELL. 

mayest  quite  reach  the  face  of  that  dirty  and  dis- 
heveled creature,  who  is  scratching  herself  there 
with  her  nasty  nails,  and  now  is  crouching  down  and 
now  standing  on  foot.  She  is  Thais  the  prostitute, 
who  answered  her  paramour  when  he  said,  '  Have  I 
great  thanks  from  thee  ? '  — '  Nay,  marvelous.'  "  ^ 
And  herewith  let  our  sight  be  satisfied. 

^  These  words  axe  derived  from  Terence,  Eunuchus,  act  iiL 
sc.  1. 


CANTO  XIX. 

Eighth  Circle  :  third  pit :    simonists.  —  Pope  Nicholas  III. 

Oh  Simon  Magus  !  Oh  ye  his  wretched  follow- 
ers, who,  rapacious,  do  prostitute  for  gold  and  silver 
the  things  of  God  that  ought  to  be  the  brides  of 
righteousness,  now  it  behoves  for  you  the  trumpet 
sound,  since  ye  are  in  the  third  pit ! 

Already  were  we  come  to  the  next  tomb,^ 
mounted  on  that  part  of  the  crag  which  just  above 
the  middle  of  the  ditch  hangs  plumb.  Oh  Supreme 
Wisdom,  how  great  is  the  art  that  Thou  displayest 
in  Heaven,  on  Earth,  and  in  the  Evil  World  I  and 
how  justly  doth  Thy  Power  distribute ! 

I  saw  along  the  sides,  and  over  the  bottom,  the 
livid  stone  full  of  holes  all  of  one  size,  and  each 
was  circular.  They  seemed  to  me  not  less  wide 
nor  larger  than  those  that  in  my  beautiful  Saint 
John  are  made  as  place  for  the  baptizers ;  ^  one  of 

^  The  next  bolgia  at  pit. 

*  "  My  beautiful  Saint  John  "  is  the  Baptistery  at  Florence.  In 
Dante's  time  the  infants,  bom  during  the  year,  were  all  here  bap- 
tized by  immersion,  mostly  on  the  day  of  St.  John  Baptist,  the 
24th  of  Jane.     There  was  a  large  circular  font  in  the  middle  of 


98  HELL. 

which,  not  many  years  ago,  I  broke  for  sake  of  one 
who  was  stifling  in  it ;  and  be  this  the  seal  to  un- 
deceive all  men.  Forth  from  the  mouth  of  each 
protruded  the  feet  of  a  sinner,  and  his^egs  up  to 
the  calf,  and  the  rest  was  within.  The  soles  of  all 
were  both  on  fire,  wherefore  their  joints  quivered 
so  violently  that  they  would  have  snapped  withes 
and  bands.  As  the  flaming  of  things  oiled  is  wont 
to  move  only  on  the  outer  surface,  so  was  it  there 
from  the  heels  to  the  toes. 

"  Who  is  he,  Master,  that  writhes,  quivering 
more  than  the  others  his  consorts,"  said  I,  "and 
whom  a  ruddier  flame  is  sucking?"  And  he  to 
me,  "  If  thou  wilt  that  I  carry  thee  down  there  by 
that  bank  which  slopes  the  most,^  from  him  thou 
shalt  know  of  himself  and  of  his  wrongs."  And 
I,  "  Whatever  pleaseth  thee  even  so  is  good  to  me. 
Thou  art  Lord,  and  knowest  that  I  part  me  not 
from  thy  will,  and  thou  knowest  that  which  is  un- 
spoken." 

Then  we  went  upon  the  fourth  dyke,  turned,  and 
descended  on  the  left  hand,  down  to  the  bottom 
pierced  with   holes,  and  narrow.      And  the  good 

the  church,  and  around  it  in  its  marble  wall  were  four  cylindrical 
standing-places  for  the  priests,  closed  by  doors,  to  protect  them 
from  the  pressure  of  the  crowd. 

^  The  whole  of  the  Eighth  circle  slopes  toward  the  centre,  so 
that  the  inner  wall  of  each  bolgia  is  lower,  and  is  less  sharply  in- 
clined than  the  outer. 


CANTO  XIX.  99 

Master  set  me  not  down  yet  from  his  haunch,  till 
he  brought  me  to  the  cleft  of  him  who  was  thus 
lamenting  with  his  shanks. 

"  O  whoe'er  thou  art,  that  keepest  upside  down, 
sad  soul,  planted  like  a  stake,"  I  began  to  say, 
"  speak,  if  thou  canst."  I  was  standing  like  the 
friar  who  confesses  the  perfidious  assassin,^  who, 
after  he  is  fixed,  recalls  him,  in  order  to  delay  his 
death. 

And  he  ^  cried  out,  "  Art  thou  already  standing 
there  ?  Art  thou  already  standing  there,  Boniface  ? 
By  several  years  the  record  lied  to  me.  Art  thou 
so  quickly  sated  with  that  having,  for  which  thou 
didst  not  fear  to  seize  by  guile  the  beautiful  Lady,^ 
and  then  to  do  her  outrage  ?  " 

Such  I  became  as  those  that,  not  comprehending 
that  which  is  replied  to  them,  stand  as  if  mocked, 
and  know  not  what  to  answer. 

Then  Virgil  said,  "  Tell  him  quickly,  I  am  not  he, 
I  am  not  he  thou  thinkest."  And  I  answered  as  was 
enjoined  on  me ;  whereat  the  spirit  quite  twisted 

^  Such  criminals  were  not  infrequently  punished  by  being  set, 
head  downwards,  in  a  hole  in  which  they  were  buried  alive. 

2  This  is  Nicholas  III.,  pope  from  1277  to  1280 ;  he  takes  Dante 
to  be  Boniface  VIII.,  but  Boniface  was  not  to  die  till  1303.  Com- 
pare what  Nicholas  says  of  "  the  record  "  with  Farinata's  state- 
ment, in  Canto  X,  concerning  the  foresight  of  the  damned. 

°  The  Church,  to  which  Boniface  did  outrage  in  many  fonns; 
but  worst  by  his  simoniacal  practices. 


100  HELL. 

his  feet.  Thereafter,  sighing  and  with  tearful 
voice,  he  said  to  me,  "  Then  what  dost  thou  require 
of  me  ?  If  to  know  who  I  am  concerneth  thee 
so  much  that  thou  hast  crossed  the  bank  therefor, 
know  that  I  was  vested  with  the  Great  Mantle ; 
and  verily  I  was  a  son  of  the  She-Bear,^  so  eager 
to  advance  the  cubs,  that  up  there  I  put  wealth,  and 
here  myself,  into  the  purse.  Beneath  my  head  are 
stretched  the  others  that  preceded  me  in  simony, 
flattened  through  the  fissures  of  the  rock.  There  be- 
low shall  I  likewise  sink,  when  he  shall  come  whom 
I  believed  thou  wert,  then  when  I  put  to  thee  the 
sudden  question ;  but  already  the  time  is  longer  that 

1  have  cooked  my  feet,  and  that  I  have  been  thus 
upside  down,  than  he  will  stay  planted  with  red 
feet ;  for  after  him  will  come,  of  uglier  deed,  from 
westward,  a  shepherd  without  law,^  such  as  must 
cover  him  and  me  again.  'A  new  Jason  wUl  he  be, 
of  whom  it  is  read  in  Maccabees ;  ^  and  as  to  that 
one  his '  king  was  compliant,  so  unto  this  he  who 
rules  Finance  shall  be."  * 

^  Nicholas  was  of  the  Orsini  family. 

^  Clement  V.,  who  will  come  from  Avignon,  and  in  a  little  more 
than  ten  years  after  the  death  of  Boniface.  Nicholas  had  already 
"  cooked  his  feet  "  for  twenty  years.  The  prophecy  of  the  death 
of  Clement  after  a  shorter  time  afFords  an  indication  that  this 
canto  was  not  written  until  after  1.314,  the  year  of  his  death. 

*  The  story  of  Jason,  "  that  ungodly  wretch  and  no  high-priest " 
who  bought  the  high-priesthood  from  King  Antiochns,  is  told  in 

2  Maccabees  iv.     Its  application  to  the  Pope  was  plain. 

*  "He  who  rules  France  "  was  Philip  the  Fair. 


C4NT0  XIX.  101 

I  know  not  if  here  I  was  too  audacious  that  I 
only  answered  him  in  this  strain,  "  Pray  now  tell 
me  how  much  treasure  our  Lord  desired  of  Saint 
Peter  before  he  placed  the  keys  in  his  keeping  ? 
Surely  he  required  nothing  save  '  Follow  me.' 
Nor  did  Peter  or  the  others  require  of  Matthias 
gold  or  silver,  when  he  was  chosen  to  the  place 
which  the  guilty  soul  had  lost.  Therefore  stay  thou, 
for  thou  art  rightly  punished,  and  guard  well  the 
ill-gotten  money  that  against  Charles  ^  made  thee  to 
be  bold.  And  were  it  not  that  reverence  for  the 
Supreme  Keys  that  thou  heldest  in  the  glad  life 
still  forbiddeth  me,  I  would  use  words  still  more 
grave ;  for  your  avarice  saddens  the  world,  tram- 
pling down  the  good  and  exalting  the  bad.  Of  you 
shepherds  the  Evangelist  was  aware,  when  she  that 
sitteth  upon  the  waters  was  seen  by  him  to  forni- 
cate with  kings :  that  woman  that  was  born  with 
the  seven  heads,  and  from  the  ten  horns  had  evi- 
dence, so  long  as  virtue  pleased  her  spouse.^  Ye 
have  made  you  a  god  of  gold  and  silver :  and  what 

^  Charles  of  Anjou,  of  whom  Nicholas  III.  was  the  enemy. 
He  was  charged  with  having  been  bribed  to  support  the  attempt 
to  expel  the  French  from  Sicily,  which  began  with  the  Sicilian 
Vespers  in  1282. 

2  Dante  deals  freely  with  the  figures  of  the  Apocalypse  :  Rev- 
elation xvii.  Tlie  woman  here  stands  for  the  Church  ;  her  seven 
heads  may  be  interpreted  as  the  Seven  Sacraments,  and  her  ten 
horns  as  the  Commandments ;  her  spouse  is  the  Pope. 


102  HELL. 

difference  is  there  between  you  and  the  idolater 
save  that  he  worships  one  and  ye  a  hundred  ?  Ah 
Constantine  !  of  how  much  ill  was  mother,  not  thy 
conversion,  but  that  dowry  which  the  first  rich 
Father  received  from  thee  !  "  ^ 

And,  while  I  was  singing  these  notes  to  him, 
whether  anger  or  conscience  stung  him,  he  vio- 
lently quivered  Avith  both  feet.  I  believe,  forsooth, 
that  it  had  pleased  my  Leader,  with  so  contented 
look  he  listened  ever  to  the  sound  of  the  true  words 
uttered.  Thereupon  with  both  his  arms  he  took 
me,  and  when  he  had  me  wholly  on  his  breast,  re- 
mounted on  the  way  by  which  he  had  descended. 
Nor  did  he  tire  of  holding  me  clasped  till  he  had 
borne  me  up  to  the  summit  of  the  arch  which  is 
the  passage  from  the  fourth  to  the  fifth  dyke. 
Here  softly  he  laid  down  his  burden,  softly  be- 
cause of  the  ragged  and  steep  crag,  that  would  be 
a  difficult  pass  for  goats.  Thence  another  great 
valley  was  discovered  to  me. 

^  The  reference  is  to  the  so-called  Donation  of  Constantine,  the 
reality  of  which  was  generally  accepted  till  long  after  Dante's 
time. 


CANTO  XX. 

Eighth  Circle  :  fourth  pit  :  diviners,  soothsayers,  and 
magicians.  —  Amphiaraus.  —  Tiresias.  —  Aruns.  —  Manto. 
—  Eurypylus.  —  Michael  Scott.  —  Asdente. 

Op  a  new  punishment  needs  must  I  make  verses, 
and  give  material  to  the  twentieth  canto  of  the 
first  lay,  which  is  of  the  submerged.^ 

I  was  now  wholly  set  on  looking  into  the  dis- 
closed depth  that  was  bathed  with  tears  of  an- 
guish, and  I  saw  folk  coming,  silent  and  weeping, 
through  the  circular  valley,  at  the  pace  at  which 
litanies  go  in  this  world.  As  my  sight  descended 
deeper  among  them,  each  appeared  marvelously 
distorted  from  the  chin  to  the  beginning  of  the 
chest ;  for  toward  their  reins  their  face  was  turned, 
and  they  must  needs  go  backwards,  because  they 
were  deprived  of  looking  forward.  Perchance 
sometimes  by  force  of  palsy  one  has  been  thus 
completely  twisted,  but  I  never  saw  it,  nor  do  I 
think  it  can  be. 

So  may  God  let  thee,  Reader,  gather  fruit  from 
thy  reading,  now  think  for  thyself  how  I  coidd 

^  Plunged  into  the  misery  of  Hell. 


104  HELL. 

keep  my  face  dry,  when  near  by  I  saw  our  im- 
age so  contorted  that  the  weeping  of  the  eyes 
bathed  the  buttocks  along  the  cleft.  Truly  I  wept, 
leaning  on  one  of  the  rocks  of  the  hard  crag,  so 
that  my  -Guide  said  to  me,  "  Art  thou  also  one  of 
the  fools  ?  Here  pity  liveth  when  it  is  quite  dead.^ 
Who  is  more  wicked  than  he  who  feels  compassion 
at  the  Divine  Judgment  ?  Lift  up  thy  head,  lift 
up,  and  see  him  ^  for  whom  the  earth  opened  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  Thebans,  whereon  they  shouted 
all,  '  Whither  art  thou  rushing,  Amphiaraus  ? 
Why  dost  thou  leave  the  war  ? '  And  he  stopped 
not  from  falling  headlong  down  far  as  Minos,  who 
seizes  hold  of  every  one.  Look,  how  he  has  made  a 
breast  of  his  shoulders !  Because  he  wished  to  see 
too  far  before  him,  he  looks  behind  and  makes  a 
backward  path. 

"  See  Tiresias,^  who  changed  his  semblance,  when 
from  a  male  he  became  a  female,  his  members  all 
of  them  being  transformed ;   and  afterwards  was 

^  It  is  impossible  to  give  the  full  significance  of  Dante's  words 

in  a  literal  translation,  owing  to  the  double  meaning  of  pieta  in 

the  original. 

Qui  vive  la  pieta  quando  e'ben  morta. 

That  is :   "  Here  liveth  piety  when  pity  is  quite  dead." 
2  One  of  the   seven  kings  who  besieged   Thebes,  augur  and 

prophet.     Dante  found  his  story  in  Statius,  Thebais,  viii.  84. 
"  The  Theban  soothsayer.     Dante   liad  learned  of  him  from 

Ovid.,  Metam.,  m.  320  sqq.,  as  well  as  from  Statins. 


CANTO  XX.  105 

obliged  to  strike  once  more  the  two  entwined  ser- 
pents with  his  rod,  ere  he  could  regain  his  mascu- 
line plumage.  Aruns  ^  is  he  that  to  this  one's  belly 
has  his  back,  who  on  the  mountains  of  Luni  (where 
grubs  the  Carrarese  who  dwells  beneath),  amid 
white  marbles,  had  a  cave  for  his  abode,  whence 
for  looking  at  the  stars  and  the  sea  his  view  was 
not  cut  off. 

"  And  she  who  with  her  loose  tresses  covers  her 
breasts,  which  thou  dost  not  see,  and  has  on  that 
side  all  her  hairy  skin,  was  Manto,^  who  sought 
through  many  lands,  then  settled  there  where  I 
was  born  ;  whereof  it  pleases  me  that  thou  listen  a 
little  to  me.  After  her  father  had  departed  from 
life,  and  the  city  of  Bacchus  had  become  enslaved, 
long  while  she  wandered  through  the  world.  Up 
in  fair  Italy  lies  a  lake,  at  foot  of  the  alp  that 
shuts  in  Germany  above  Tyrol,  and  it  is  called 
Benaco.^  Through  a  thousand  founts,  I  think, 
and  more,  between  Garda  and  Val  Camonica,  the 
Apennine  is  bathed  by  the  water  which  settles  in 
that  lake.  Midway  is  a  place  where  the  Trentine 
Pastor  and  he  of  Brescia  and  the  Veronese  might 

^  An  Etruscan  hanispex  of  whom  Lacan  tells,  — 
Aruns  iucoluit  deaertae  moenia  Lunae. 

Phars.  i.  586. 

'  The  daughter  of  Tireaias,  of  whom  Statins,  Ovid,  and  Virgil 
all  teU. 

*  Now  Lago  di  Garda. 


106  HELL. 

each  give  liis  blessing  if  he  took  that  road.^  Pes- 
chiera,  fortress  fair  and  strong,  sits  to  confront 
the  Brescians  and  Bergamasques,  where  the  shore 
round  about  is  lowest.  Thither  needs  must  fall 
all  that  which  in  the  lap  of  Benaco  cannot  stay, 
and  it  becomes  a  river  down  through  the  verdant 
pastures.  Soon  as  the  water  gathers  head  to  run, 
no  longer  is  it  called  Benaco,  but  Mincio,  far  as 
Govemo,  where  it  falls  into  the  Po.  No  long 
course  it  hath  before  it  finds  a  plain,  on  which  it 
spreads,  and  makes  a  marsh,  and  is  wont  in  sum- 
mer sometimes  to  be  noisome.  Passing  that  way, 
the  cruel  virgin  saw  a  land  in  the  middle  of 
the  fen  without  culture  and  bare  of  inhabitants. 
There,  to  avoid  all  human  fellowship,  she  stayed 
with  her  servants  to  practice  her  arts,  and  lived, 
and  left  there  her  empty  body.  Afterward  the 
men  who  were  scattered  round  about  gathered  to 
that  place,  which  was  strong  because  of  the  fen 
which  surrounded  it.  They  built  the  city  over 
those  dead  bones,  and  for  her,  who  first  had  chosen 
the  place,  they  called  it  Mantua,  without  other  au- 
gury. Of  old  its  people  were  more  thick  within  it, 
before  the  stupidity  of  Casalodi  had  been  tricked 
by  Pinamonte.2      Therefore  I  warn  thee,  that  if 

1  Where  the  three  dioceses  meet. 

^  The  Count  of  Casalodi,  being  lord  of  Mantua  about  1276, 
gave  ear  to  the  treacherous  counsels  of  Messer  Pinamonte  de' 
Buonacoi^,  and  was  driven,  with  his  friends,  from  the  city. 


CANTO  XX.  107 

thou  ever  hearest  otherwise  the  origin  of  my  town, 
no  falsehood  may  defraud  the  truth." 

And  I,  "  Master,  thy  discourses  are  so  certain  to 
me,  and  so  lay  hold  on  my  faith,  that  the  others 
would  be  to  me  as  dead  embers.  But  tell  me  of 
the  people  who  are  passing,  if  thou  seest  any  one  of 
them  worthy  of  note ;  for  only  unto  that  my  mind 
reverts." 

Then  he  said  to  me,  "  That  one,  who  from  his 
cheek  stretches  his  beard  upon  his  dusky  shoul- 
ders, was  an  augur  when  Greece  was  so  emptied  of 
males  that  they  scarce  remained  for  the  cradles, 
and  with  Calchas  at  Aidis  he  gave  the  moment  for 
cutting  the  first  cable.  Eurypylus  was  his  name, 
and  thus  my  lofty  Tragedy  sings  him  in  some 
place ;  ^  well  knowest  thou  this,  who  knowest  the 
whole  of  it.  That  other  who  is  so  small  in  the 
flanks  was  Michael  Scott,^  who  verily  knew  the 
game  of  magical  deceptions.  See  Guido  Bonatti,^ 
see  Asdente,*  who  now  woidd  wish  he  had  attended 

^  Snspensi  Earypylmn  scitantem  oracola  Phoebi 
Mittimus.  yEtieid,  ii.  112. 

^  A  wizard  of  sncb  dreaded  fame 
That,  when  in  Salamanca's  cave 
Him  listed  his  magic  wand  to  wave, 
The  bells  would  ring  in  Notre  Dame. 

Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,  Canto  ii. 

•  A  famous  astrologer  of  Forll,  in  the  thirteenth  century. 

*  Dante,  in  the  Convito,  trattato  iv.  c.  16,  says  that  if  noble 


108  HELL. 

to  his  leather  and  his  thread,  but  late  repents.  See 
the  forlorn  women  who  left  the  needle,  the  spool, 
and  the  spindle,  and  became  fortune-tellers ;  they 
wrought  spells  with  herb  and  with  image. 

"But  come  on  now,  for  already  Cain  with  his 
thorns  ^  holds  the  confines  of  both  the  hemispheres, 
and  touches  the  wave  below  Seville.  And  already 
yesternight  was  the  moon  round;  well  shouldst 
thou  remember  it,  for  it  did  thee  no  harm  some- 
times in  the  deep  wood."  Thus  he  spoke  to  me, 
and  we  went  on  the  while. 

meant  being  widely  known,  then  "  Asdente,  the  shoemaker  of 
Parma,  would  be  more  noble  than  any  of  his  fellow-citizens." 
^  The  Man  in  the  Moon,  according  to  an  old  popular  legend. 


CANTO  XXI. 

Eighth  Circle  :  fifth  pit  :  barrators.  —  A  magistrate  of 
Lucca.  —  The  Malebranche.  —  Parley  with  them. 

So  from  bridge  to  bridge  we  went,  speaking 
other  things,  which  my  Comedy  careth  not  to  sing, 
and  held  the  summit,  when  we  stopped  to  see  the 
next  cleft  of  Malebolge  and  the  next  vain  lamenta- 
tions ;  and  I  saw  it  wonderfully  dark. 

As  in  the  Arsenal  of  the  Venetians,  in  winter, 
the  sticky  pitch  for  smearing  their  unsound  vessels 
is  boiling,  because  they  cannot  go  to  sea,  and,  in- 
stead thereof,  one  builds  him  a  new  bark,  and  one 
caidks  the  sides  of  that  which  hath  made  many  a 
voyage  ;  one  hammers  at  the  prow,  and  one  at  the 
stern  ;  another  makes- oars,  and  another  twists  the 
cordage ;  and  one  the  foresail  and  the  mainsail 
patches,  —  so,  not  by  fire,  but  by  divine  art,  a  thick 
pitch  was  boiling  there  below,  which  belimed  the 
bank  on  every  side.  I  saw  it,  but  saw  not  in  it 
aught  but  the  bubbles  which  the  boiling  raised,  and 
all  of  it  swelling  up  and  again  sinking  compressed. 

While  I  was  gazing  down  there  fixedly,  my  Lead- 
er, saying,  "  Take  heed  !  take  heed  !  "  drew  me  to 


110  HELL. 

himself  from  the  place  where  I  was  standing.  Then 
I  turned  as  one  who  is  slow  to  see  what  it  behoves 
him  to  fly,  and  whom  a  sudden  fear  unnerves,  and 
delays  not  to  depart  in  order  to  see.  And  I  saw 
behind  us  a  black  devil  come  running  up  along  the 
crag.  Ah !  how  fell  he  was  in  aspect,  and  how 
rough  he  seemed  to  me  in  action,  with  wings  open, 
and  light  upon  his  feet !  His  shoulder,  which  was 
sharp  and  high,  was  laden  by  a  sinner  with  both 
haunches,  the  sinew  of  whose  feet  he  held  clutched. 
"  O  Malebranche  ^  of  our  bridge,"  he  said,  "  lo,  one 
of  the  Ancients  of  Saint  Zita !  ^  put  him  under,  for 
I  return  again  to  that  city,  which  I  have  furnished 
well  with  them;  every  man  there  is  a  barrator,^ 
except  Bonturo :  *  there,  for  money,  of  No  they 
make  Ay."  He  hurled  him  down,  and  along  the 
hard  crag  he  turned,  and  never  mastiff  loosed  was 
in  such  haste  to  follow  a  thief. 

That  one  sank  under,  and  came  up  back  up- 
permost, but  the  demons  that  had  shelter  of  the 
bridge  cried  out,  "  Here  the  Holy  Face  ^  avails  not ; 

^  Malebranche  means  Evil-claws. 

^  One  of  the  chief  magistrates  of  Lucca,  whose  special  pro- 
tectress was  Santa  Zita. 

^  A  corrupt  official,  selling  justice  or  office  for  bribes ;  in  gen- 
eral, a  peculator  or  cheat. 

*  Ironical. 

^  An  image  of  Christ  upon  the  cross,  ascribed  to  Nicodemus, 
still  venerated  at  Lucca. 


CANTO  XXI.  Ill 

here  one  swims  otherwise  than  in  the  Serchio ;  ^ 
therefore,  if  thou  dost  not  want  our  grapples,  make 
no  show  above  the  pitch."  Then  they  struck  him 
with  more  than  a  hundred  prongs,  and  said,  "  Cov- 
ered must  thou  dance  here,  so  that,  if  thou  canst, 
thou  mayst  swindle  secretly."  Not  otherwise  cooks 
make  their  scullions  plunge  the  meat  with  their 
hooks  into  the  middle  of  the  cauldron,  so  that  it 
may  not  float. 

The  good  Master  said  to  me,  "  In  order  that  it 
be  not  apparent  that  thou  art  here,  crouch  down 
behind  a  splinter,  that  may  afford  some  screen  to 
thee,  and  at  any  offense  that  may  be  done  to  me  be 
not  afraid,  for  I  have  knowledge  of  these  things, 
because  another  time  I  was  at  such  a  fray." 

Then  he  passed  on  beyond  the  head  of  the 
bridge,  and  when  he  arrived  upon  the  sixth  bank, 
he  had  need  of  a  steadfast  front.  With  such  fury 
and  with  such  storm,  as  dogs  run  out  upon  the 
poor  wretch,  who  of  a  sudden  begs  where  he  stops, 
they  came  forth  from  under  the  little  bridge,  and 
turned  against  him  all  their  forks.  But  he  cried 
out,  "  Be  no  one  of  you  savage  ;  ere  your  hook 
take  hold  of  me,  let  one  of  you  come  forward  that 
he  may  hear  me,  and  then  take  counsel  as  to  grap- 
pling me."     All  cried  out,  "  Let  Malacoda  ^  go  I  " 

^  The  river  that  runs  not  far  from  Lncca. 
2  Wicked  taU. 


112  BELL. 

Whereon  one  moved,  and  the  rest  stood  still ;  and 
he  came  toward  him,  saying,  "  What  doth  this  avail 
him  ?  "  "  Thinkest  thou,  Malacoda,  to  see  me  come 
here,"  said  my  Master,  "  safe  hitherto  from  all  your 
hindrances,  except  by  Will  Divine  and  fate  propi- 
tious ?  Let  us  go  on,  for  in  Heaven  it  is  willed 
that  I  show  another  this  savage  road."  Then 
was  his  arrogance  so  fallen  that  he  let  the  hook 
drop  at  his  feet,  and  said  to  the  rest,  "  Now  let  him 
not  be  struck." 

And  my  Leader  to  me,  "  O  thou  that  sittest 
cowering  among  the  splinters  of  the  bridge,  securely 
now  return  to  me."  Whereat  I  moved  and  came 
swiftly  to  him.  And  the  devils  all  pressed  forward, 
so  that  I  feared  they  would  not  keep  their  compact. 
And  thus  I  once  saw  the  foot-soldiers  afraid,  who 
came  out  under  pledge  from  Caprona,^  seeing 
themselves  among  so  many  enemies.  I  drew  with 
my  whole  body  alongside  my  Leader,  and  turned 
not  mine  eyes  from  their  look,  which  was  not  good. 
They  lowered  their  forks,  and,  "  Wilt  thou  that 
I  touch  him  on  the  rump  ?  "  said  one  to  the  other, 
and  they  answered,  "Yes,  see  thou  nick  it  for 
him."  But  that  demon  Vvho  was  holding  speech 
with  my  Leader  turned  very  quickly  and  said, 
"  Stay,  stay,  Scarmiglione  I  " 

^  In  Au^st,  1290,  the  town  of  Caprona,  on  the  Amo,  surren- 
dered to  the  Florentine  troops,  with  whom  Dante  was  serving. 


CANTO  XXI.  113 

Then  he  said  to  us,  "  Further  advance  along  this 
crag  there  cannot  be,  because  the  sixth  arch  lies  all 
shattered  at  the  bottom.  And  if  to  go  forward  still 
is  your  pleasure,  go  on  along  this  rocky  bank ;  near 
by  is  another  crag  that  affords  a  way.  Yesterday, 
five  hours  later  than  this  hour,  one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  sixty-six  years  were  complete  since 
the  way  was  broken  here.^  I  am  sending  thither- 
ward some  of  these  of  mine,  to  see  if  any  one  is 
airing  himself  ;  go  ye  with  them,  for  they  will  not 
be  wicked.  Come  forward,  Alichino  and  Calca- 
brina,"  began  he  to  say,  "  and  thou,  Cagnazzo ;  and 
do  thou,  Barbariccia,  guide  the  ten.  Let  Libi- 
cocco  come  also,  and  Draghignazzo,  tusked  Ciriatto, 
and  Graffiacane,  and  Farfarello,  and  mad  Rubi- 
cante.  Search  round  about  the  boiling  pitch ;  let 
these  be  safe  far  as  the  next  crag,  that  all  un- 
broken goes  over  these  dens." 

"  O  me !  Master,  what  is  it  that  I  see  ? "  said 
I;  "pray  let  us  go  alone  without  escort,  if  thou 
knowest  the  way,  for  I  desire  it  not  for  myself.  If 
thou  art  as  waiy  as  thou  art  wont  to  be,  dost  thou 
not  see  that  they  show  their  teeth,  and  threaten 
harm  to  us  with  their  brows  ?  "  And  he  to  me, 
"I  would  not  have  thee  afraid.  Let  them  grin 
on  at  their  will,  for  they  are  doing  it  at  the  boiled 
wretches." 

1  By  the  earthquake  at  the  death  of  the  Saviour. 


114  HELL. 

Upon  the  left  bank  they  wheeled  round,  but  first 
each  had  pressed  his  tongue  with  his  teeth  toward 
their  leader  for  a  signal,  and  he  had  made  a  trum- 
pet of  his  rump. 


CANTO  xxn. 

Eighth  Circle  :  fifth  pit :  barrators.  —  Ciampolo  of  Na- 
varre. —  Fra  Gomita.  —  Michael  Zanche.  —  Fray  of  the 
Malebranche. 

I  HAVE  seen  of  old  horsemen  moving  camp,  and 
beginning  an  assault,  and  making  their  muster,  and 
sometimes  setting  forth  on  their  escape ;  I  have 
seen  runners  through  your  land,  O  Ar^tines,  and  I 
have  seen  freebooters  starting,  tournaments  struck 
and  jousts  run,  at  times  with  trumpets,  and  at 
times  with  bells,  with  drums,  and  with  signals  from 
strongholds,  and  with  native  things  and  foreign,  — 
but  never  with  so  strange  a  pipe  did  I  see  horse- 
men or  footmen  set  forth,  or  ship  by  sign  of  land 
or  star. 

We  went  along  with  the  ten  demons.  Ah,  the 
fell  company !  but  in  the  church  with  saints,  and 
in  the  tavern  with  gluttons.  Ever  on  the  pitch 
was  I  intent,  to  see  every  aspect  of  the  pit,  and  of 
the  people  that  were  burning  in  it. 

As  dolphins,  when,  by  the  arching  of  their  back, 
they  give  a  sign  to  sailors  that  they  take  heed  for 
the  safety  of  their  vessel,  so,  now  and  then,  to  allevi- 
ate his  pain,  one  of  the  sinners  showed  his  back  and 


116  HELL. 

hid  in  less  time  than  it  lightens.  And  as  at  the 
edge  of  the  water  of  a  ditch  the  frogs  stand  with 
only  their  muzzle  out,  so  that  they  conceal  their 
feet  and  the  rest  of  their  bulk,  thus  stood  on  every 
side  the  sinners  ;  but  as  Barbariccia  approached  so 
did  they  draw  back  beneath  the  boiling.  I  saw, 
and  still  my  heart  shudders  at  it,  one  waiting,  jiist 
as  it  happens  that  one  frog  stays  and  another 
Jumps.  And  Graffiacane,  who  was  nearest  over 
against  him,  hooked  him  by  his  pitchy  locks,  and 
drew  him  up  so  that  he  seemed  to  me  an  otter.  I 
knew  now  the  name  of  every  one  of  them,  so  had 
I  noted  them  when  they  were  chosen,  and  when 
they  had  called  each  other  I  had  listened  how. 
"  O  Rubicante,  see  thou  set  thy  claws  upon  him  so 
thou  flay  him,"  shouted  all  the  accursed  ones  to- 
gether. 

And  I,  "My  Master,  see,  if  thou  canst,  that 
thou  find  out  who  is  the  luckless  one  come  into  the 
hands  of  his  adversaries."  My  Leader  drew  up  to 
his  side,  asked  him  whence  he  was,  and  he  replied, 
**  I  was  bom  in  the  kingdom  of  Navarre ;  my 
mother  placed  me  in  service  of  a  lord,  for  she  had 
borne  me  to  a  ribald,  destroyer  of  himself  and  of 
his  substance.  Afterward  I  was  of  the  household 
of  the  good  King  Thibault ;  ^  there  I  set  myself  to 

^  Probably  Thibault  II.,  the  brother-in-law  of  St  Louis,  who 
acconrpanied  him  on  his  last  disastrous  crusade,  and  died  on  his 
way  home  in  1270. 


CANTO  xxn.  117 

practice  barratry,  for  which  I  pay  reckoning  in 
this  heat." 

And  Ciriatto,  from  whose  mouth  protruded  on 
either  side  a  tusk,  as  in  a  boar,  made  him  feel  how 
one  of  them  rips.  Among  evil  cats  the  mouse  had 
come  ;  but  Barbariccia  clasped  him  in  his  arms, 
and  said,  "  Stand  off,  while  I  enfork  him,"  and  to 
my  Master  turned  his  face.  "  Ask,"  said  he,  "  if 
thou  desirest  to  know  more  from  him,  before  some 
other  undo  him."  The  Leader,  "  Now,  then,  tell  of 
the  other  sinners  ;  knowst  thou  any  one  under  the 
pitch  who  is  Italian  ?  "  And  he,  "  I  parted  short 
while  since  from  one  who  was  a  neighbor  to  it; 
would  that  with  him  I  still  were  covered  so  that  I 
might  not  fear  claw  or  hook."  And  Libicocco  said, 
"  We  have  borne  too  much,"  and  seized  his  arm 
with  his  grapple  so  that,  tearing,  he  carried  off  a 
sinew  of  it.  Draghignazzo,  also,  he  wished  to  give 
him  a  clutch  down  at  his  legs,  whereat  their  decu- 
rion  turned  round  about  with  evil  look. 

When  they  were  a  little  appeased,  my  Leader, 
without  delay,  asked  him  who  still  was  gazing  at 
his  wound,  "  Who  was  he  from  whom  thou  sayest 
thou  madest  ill  parting  to  come  to  shore  ?  "  And 
he  replied,  "  It  was  Brother  Gomita,  he  of  Gallura,^ 

*'  Gallura,  one  of  the  four  divisions  of  Sardinia,  called  judica- 
tures, made  by  the  Pisans,  after  their  conquest  of  the  island.  Tlje 
lord  of  Gomita  was  the  gentle  Judge  Nino,  whom  Dante  meets  in 
Purgatory.     Gromita  was  hung  for  his  frauds. 


118  BELL. 

vessel  of  all  fraud,  who  held  the  enemies  of  his 
lord  in  hand,  and  dealt  so  with  them  that  they  all 
praise  him  for  it.  Money  he  took,  and  let  them 
smoothly  off,  so  he  says ;  and  in  other  offices  be- 
sides he  was  no  little  barrator,  but  sovereign.  With 
him  frequents  Don  Michael  Zanche  of  Logodoro,^ 
and  in  talking  of  Sardinia  their  tongues  feel  not 
weary.  O  me !  see  ye  that  other  who  is  grinning  : 
I  would  say  more,  but  I  fear  lest  he  is  making 
ready  to  scratch  my  itch."  And  the  grand  provost, 
turning  to  Farfarello,  who  was  rolling  his  eyes  as 
if  to  strike,  said,  "  Get  thee  away,  wicked  bird  !  " 

"  If  you  wish  to  see  or  to  hear  Tuscans  or  Lom- 
bards," thereon  began  again  the  frightened  one, 
"  I  will  make  them  come  ;  but  let  the  Malebranche 
stand  a  little  withdrawn,  so  that  they  may  not  be 
afraid  of  their  vengeance,  and  I,  sitting  in  this  very 
place,  for  one  that  I  am,  will  make  seven  of  them 
come,  when  I  shall  whistle  as  is  our  wont  to  do 
whenever  one  of  us  comes  out."  Cagnazzo  at  this 
speech  raised  his  muzzle,  shaking  his  head,  and 
said,  "  Hear  the  knavery  he  has  devised  for  throw- 
ing himself  under  !  "  Whereon  he  who  had  snares 
in  great  plenty  answered,  "  Too  knavish  am  I,  when 
I  procure  for  mine  own   companions  greater  sor- 

^  Logodoro  was  another  of  the  judicatures  of  Sardinia.  Don 
Michael  Zanche  was  a  noted  man,  hut  of  his  special  sins  little  o( 
nothing  has  been  recorded  by  the  chroniclers. 


CANTO  XXII.  119 

row."  Alichino  held  not  in,  and,  in  opposition  to 
the  others,  said  to  him,  "  If  thou  dive,  I  will  not 
come  behind  thee  at  a  gallop,  but  I  will  beat  my 
wings  above  the  pitch  ;  let  the  ridge  be  left,  and 
be  the  bank  a  shield,  to  see  if  thou  alone  availest 
more  than  we." 

O  thou  that  readest  I  thou  shalt  hear  new  sport. 
Each  turned  his  eyes  to  the  other  side,  he  first  who 
had  been  most  averse  to  doing  it.  The  Navarrese 
chose  well  his  time,  planted  his  feet  firmly  on  the 
ground,  and  in  an  instant  leaped,  and  from  their 
purpose  freed  himself.  At  this,  each  of  them  was 
pricked  with  shame,  but  he  most  who  was  the  cause 
of  the  loss  ;  wherefore  he  started  and  cried  out, 
"  Thou  art  caught."  But  little  it  availed,  for  wings 
could  not  outstrip  fear.  The  one  went  under,  and 
the  other,  flying,  turned  his  breast  upward.  Not 
otherwise  the  wild  duck  on  a  sudden  dives  when 
the  falcon  comes  close,  and  he  returns  up  vexed 
and  baffled.  Calcabrina,  enraged  at  the  flout, 
kept  flying  behind  him,  desirous  that  the  sinner 
should  escape,  that  he  might  have  a  scuffle ;  and 
when  the  barrator  had  disappeared  he  turned  his 
talons  upon  his  companion,  and  grappled  with  him 
above  the  ditch.  But  the  other  was  indeed  a  spar- 
rowhawk  full  grown  to  gripe  him  well,  and  both 
fell  into  the  midst  of  the  boiling  pool.  The  heat 
was  a  sudden  ungrappler,  but  nevertheless  there 


120  HELL. 

was  no  rising  from  it,  they  had  their  wings  so  glued. 
Barbariccia,  grieving  with  the  rest  of  his  troop, 
made  four  of  them  fly  to  the  other  side  with  all 
their  forks,  and  very  quickly,  this  side  and  that, 
they  descended  to  their  post.  They  stretched  but 
their  hooks  toward  the  belimed  ones,  who  were 
already  baked  within  the  crust :  and  we  left  them 
thus  embroiled. 


CANTO  xxin. 

Eighth  Circle.  Escape  from  the  fifth  pit.  —  The  sixth 
pit :  hypocrites,  in  cloaks  of  gilded  lead.  —  Jovial  Friars.  — 
Caiaphas.  —  Annas.  —  Frate  Catalano. 

Silent,  alone,  and  without  company,  we  went 
on,  one  before,  the  other  behind,  as  the  Minor  friars 
go  along  the  way.  My  thought  was  turned  by  the 
present  brawl  upon  the  fable  of  ^sop,  in  which  he 
tells  of  the  frog  and  the  mole ;  for  now  and  this 
instant  are  not  more  alike  than  the  one  is  to  the 
other,  if  beginning  and  end  are  rightly  coupled  by 
the  attentive  mind.^  And  as  one  thought  bursts 
out  from  another,  so  from  that  then  sprang  another 
which  made  my  first  fear  double.  I  reflected  in 
this  wise :  These  through  us  have  been  flouted,- 
and  with  such  harm  and  mock  as  I  believe  must 

^  "  Sed  dices  forsan,  lector,"  says  Benvenuto  da  Imola,  "  nescio 
per  me  videre  quomodo  istae  duae  fictiones  habeant  inter  se  tan- 
tam  convenientam.  Ad  qnod  respondeo,  qnod  passos  vere  est 
fortis.''  The  point  seems  to  be  that,  the  frog  having  deceitfully 
brought  the  mole  to  trouble  and  death,  the  mole  declares,  "  me 
yindicabit  major,''  and  the  eagle  swoops  down  and  devours  the 
frog  as  well  as  the  dead  mole.  The  comparison  is  not  very  close 
except  in  the  matter  of  anticipated  vengeance. 


122  HELL. 

vex  them  greatly ;  if  anger  to  ill-will  be  added, 
they  will  come  after  us  more  merciless  than  the 
dog  upon  the  leveret  which  he  snaps. 

Already  I  was  feeling  my  hair  all  bristling  with 
fear,  and  was  backwards  intent,  when  I  said,  "  Mas- 
ter, if  thou  concealest  not  thyself  and  me  speedily, 
I  am  afraid  of  the  Malebranche  ;  we.  have  them 
already  behind  us,  and  I  so  imagine  them  that  I 
already  feel  them."  And  he,  "  If  I  were  of  leaded 
glass,^  I  should  not  draw  thine  outward  image 
more  quickly  to  me  than  thine  inward  I  receive. 
Even  now  came  thy  thoughts  among  mine,  with 
similar  action  and  with  similar  look,  so  that  of 
both  one  sole  design  I  made.  If  it  be  that  the 
right  bank  lieth  so  that  we  can  descend  into  the 
next  pit,  we  shall  escape  the  imagined  chase." 

Not  yet  had  he  finished  reporting  this  design, 
when  I  saw  them  coming  with  spread  wings,  not 
very  far  off,  with  will  to  take  us.  My  Leader  on 
a  sudden  took  me,  as  a  mother  who  is  wakened  by 
the  noise,  and  near  her  sees  the  kindled  flames, 
who  takes  her  son  and  flies,  and,  having  more  care 
of  him  than  of  herself,  stays  not  so  long  as  only  to 
put  on  a  shift.  And  down  from  the  ridge  of  the 
hard  bank,  supine  he  gave  himself  to  the  sloping 
rock  that  closes  one  of  the  sides  of  the  next  pit. 
Never  ran  water  so  swiftly  through  a  duct,  to  turn 

1  A  minor. 


i 


CANTO  XXIII.  123 

the  wheel  of  a  land-mill,  when  it  approaches  near- 
est to  the  paddles,  as  my  Master  over  that  border, 
bearing  me  along  upon  his  breast,  as  his  own  son, 
and  not  as  his  companion.  Hardly  had  his  feet 
reached  the  bed  of  the  depth  below,  when  they 
were  on  the  ridge  right  over  us ;  but  here  there 
was  no  fear,  for  the  high  Providence  that  willed  to 
set  them  as  ministers  of  the  fifth  ditch  deprived 
them  all  of  power  of  departing  thence. 

There  below  we  found  a  painted  people  who 
were  going  around  with  very  slow  steps,  weeping, 
and  in  their  semblance  weary  and  vanquished. 
They  had  cloaks,  with  hoods  lowered  before  their 
eyes,  made  of  the  same  cut  as  those  of  the  monks 
in  Cluny.  Outwardly  they  are  gilded,  so  that  it 
dazzles,  but  within  all  lead,  and  so  heavy  that 
Frederick  put  them  on  of  straw.^  Oh  mantle 
wearisome  for  eternity ! 

We  turned,  stiU  ever  to  the  left  hand,  along  with 
them,  intent  on  their  sad  plaint.  But  because 
of  the  weight  that  tired  folk  came  so  slowly  that 
we  had  fresh  company  at  every  movement  of  the 
haunch.  Wherefore  I  to  my  Leader,  "  See  that 
thou  find  some  one  who  may  be  known  by  deed  or 
name,  and  so  in   going   move  thy  eyes  around." 

1  The  leaden  cloaks  which  the  Emperor  Frederick  II.  caused 
to  be  put  on  criminals,  who  were  then  burned  to  death,  were  ligiit 
as  straw  in  comparison  with  these. 


124  HELL. 

And  one  who  understood  the  Tuscan  speech  cried 
out  behind  us,  "  Stay  your  feet,  ye  who  run  thus 
through  the  dusky  air  ;  perchance  thou  shalt  have 
from  me  that  which  thou  askest."  Whereon  the 
Leader  tutTied  and  said,  "  Await,  and  then  accord- 
ing to  his  pace  proceed."  I  stopped,  and  saw  two 
show,  by  their  look,  great  haste  of  mind  to  be  with 
me,  but  their  load  delayed  them,  and  the  narrow 
way. 

When  they  had  come  up,  somewhile,  with  eye 
askance,^  they  gazed  at  me  without  a  word ;  then 
they  turned  to  each  other,  and  said  one  to  the 
other,  "  This  one  seems  alive  by  the  action  of  his 
throat ;  and  if  they  are  dead,  by  what  privilege  do 
they  go  uncovered  by  the  heavy  stole  ? "  Then 
they  said  to  me,  "  O  Tuscan,  who  to  the  college  of 
the  wretched  hypocrites  art  come,  disdain  not  to  tell 
who  thou  art."  And  I  to  them,  "  I  was  bom  and 
grew  up  on  the  fair  river  of  Arno,  at  the  great  town, 
and  I  am  in  the  body  that  I  have  always  had.  But 
ye,  who  are  ye,  in  whom  such  woe  distills,  as  I  see, 
down  your  cheeks  ?  and  what  punishment  is  on  you 
that  so  sparkles?"  And  one  of  them  replied  to 
me,  "  The  orange  hoods  are  of  lead  so  thick  that 
the  weights  thus  make  their  scales  to  creak.  Jo- 
vial Friars  ^  were  we,  and  Bolognese ;  I  Catalano, 

^  They  could  not  raise  their  heads  for  a  straight  look. 

3  Brothers  of  the  order  of  Santa  Maria,  established  in  1261, 


CANTO  XXIII.  125 

and  he  Loderingo  named,  and  together  taken  by  thy 
city,  as  one  man  alone  is  wont  to  be  taken,  in  order 
to  preserve  its  peace  ;  and  we  were  such  as  still  is 
apparent  round  about  the  Gardingo."  I  began, 
"  O  Friars,  your  evil "  —  but  more  I  said  not,  for 
there  struck  mine  eyes  one  crucified  with  three 
stakes  on  the  ground.  When  me  he  saw  he  writhed 
all  over,  blowing  into  his  beard  with  sighs :  and 
the  Friar  Catalano,  who  observed  it,  said  to  me, 
"  That  transfixed  one,  whom  thou  lookest  at,  coun- 
seled the  Pharisees  that  it  was  expedient  to  put  one 
man  to  torture  for  the  people.  Crosswise  and 
naked  is  he  on  the  path,  as  thou  seest,  and  he  first 
must  feel  how  much  whoever  passes  weighs.  And 
in  such  fashion  his  father-in-law  is  stretched  in 
this  ditch,  and  the  others  of   that  Council  which 

with  knightly  vows  and  high  intent.  From  their  free  life  the 
name  of  "Jovial  Friars  "  was  given  to  the  members  of  the  order. 
After  the  battle  of  Montaperti  (1260)  the  Gbibellines  held  the 
upper  hand  in  Florence  for  more  than  five  years.  The  defeat  and 
death  of  Manfred  early  in  1266,  at  the  battle  of  Benevento,  shook 
their  power  and  revived  the  hopes  of  the  Guelphs.  As  a  measure 
of  compromise,  the  Florentine  Commune  elected  two  podestks, 
one  from  each  party ;  the  Guelph  was  Catalano  de'  Malavolti,  the 
Ghibelline,  Loderingo  degli  Andal6,  both  from  Bologna.  They 
were  believed  to  have  joined  hands  for  their  own  gain,  and  to  have 
favored  the  reviving  power  of  the  Guelphs.  In  the  troubles  of 
the  year  the  houses  of  the  Uberti,  a  powerful  Ghibelline  family, 
were  burned.  They  lay  in  the  region  of  the  city  called  the  Gar- 
dingo,  close  to  the  Palazzo  Vecchio. 


126  HELL. 

for  the  Jews  was  seed  of  ill."  ^  Then  I  saw  Virgil 
marvelling  over  him  that  was  extended  on  a  cross 
so  vilely  in  eternal  exile.  Thereafter  he  addressed 
this  speech  to  the  Friar,  "  May  it  not  displease  thee, 
so  it  be  allowed  thee,  to  tell  us  :f  on  the  right  hand 
lies  any  opening  whereby  we  two  can  go  out  with- 
out constraining  any  of  the  Black  Angels  to  come 
to  deliver  us  from  this  deep."  He  answered  then, 
"  Nearer  than  thou  hopest  is  a  rock  that  from  the 
great  encircling  wall  proceeds  and  crosses  all  the 
savage  valleys,  save  that  at  this  one  it  is  broken, 
and  does  not  cover  it.  Ye  can  mount  up  over  the 
ruin  that  slopes  on  the  side,  and  heaps  up  at  the 
bottom."  The  Leader  stood  a  little  while  with 
bowed  head,  then  said,  "  111  he  reported  the  matter, 
he  who  hooks  the  sinners  yonder."  ^  And  the 
Friar,  "  I  once  heard  tell  at  Bologna  vices  enough 
of  the  devil,  among  which  I  heard  that  he  is  false, 
and  the  father  of  lies."  Then  the  Leader  with 
great  steps  went  on,  disturbed  a  little  with  anger  in 
his  look  ;  whereon  I  departed  from  the  heavily 
burdened  ones,  following  the  prints  of  the  beloved 
feet. 

^  Annas  "was  father  in  law  to  Caiaphas,  which  was  the  high 
priest  that  same  year.  Now  Caiaphas  was  he,  which  gave  counsel 
to  the  Jews,  that  it  was  expedient  tliat  one  man  should  die  f ctr  the 
people."     John  xviii.  13-14  ;  id.  xi.  47-50. 

^  Malacoda  had  told  him  that  he  would  find  a  bridge  not  far 
oS  by  which  to  cross  this  sixth  bolgia. 


CANTO  XXIV. 

Eighth  Circle.  The  poets  climb  from  the  sixth  pit. — 
Seventh  pit,  filled  with  serpents,  by  which  thieves  are  tor- 
mented. —  Vanni  Fucci.  —  Prophecy  of  calamity  to  Dante. 

In  that  part  of  the  young  year  when  the  sun  tem- 
pers his  locks  beneath  Aquarius,^  and  now  the  nights 
decrease  toward  half  the  day ,2  when  the  hoar  frost 
copies  on  the  ground  the  image  of  her  white  sister,* 
but  the  point  of  her  pen  lasts  little  while,  the  rustic, 
whose  provision  fails,  gets  up  and  sees  the  plain  all 
whitened  o'er,  whereat  he  strikes  his  thigh,  returns 
indoors,  and  grumbles  here  and  there,  like  the  poor 
wretch  who  knows  not  what  to  do ;  again  goes  out 
and  picks  up  hope  again,  seeing  the  world  to  have 
changed  face  in  short  while,  and  takes  his  crook 
and  drives  forth  his  flock  to  pasture :  in  like  man- 
ner the  Master  made  me  dismayed,  when  I  saw  his 
front  so  disturbed,  and  in  like  manner  speedily  ar- 
rived the  plaster  for  the  hurt.     For  when  we  came 

^  Toward  the  end  of  winter. 
2  Half  of  the  twenty-four  hours- 

8  The  frost  copies  the  look  of  the  snow,  but  her  pen  soon  loses 
its  out,  that  is,  the  white  frost  soon  vanishes. 


128  HELL. 

to  the  ruined  bridge,  the  Leader  turned  to  me  with 
that  sweet  look  which  I  first  saw  at  the  foot  of  the 
niount.^  He  opened  his  arms,  after  some  counsel 
taken  with  himself,  looking  first  well  at  the  ruin, 
and  laid  hold  of  me.  And  as  one  who  acts  and  con- 
siders, who  seems  always  to  be  ready  beforehand, 
so  lifting  me  up  toward  the  top  of  a  great  rock,  he 
took  note  of  another  splinter,  saying,  "  Seize  hold 
next  on  that,  but  try  first  if  it  is  such  that  it  may 
support  thee."  It  was  no  way  for  one  clothed  in  a 
cloak,  for  we  with  difficulty,  he  light  and  I  pushed 
up,  ceuld  mount  from  jag  to  jag.  And  had  it  not 
been  that  on  that  precinct  the  bank  was  shorter 
than  on  the  other  side,  I  do  not  know  about  him, 
but  I  should  have  been  completely  overcome.  But 
because  all  Malebolge  slopes  toward  the  opening  of 
the  lowest  abyss,  the  site  of  each  valley  is  such  that 
one  side  rises  and  the  other  sinks.^  We  came, 
however,  at  length,  up  to  the  point  where  the  last 
stone  is  broken  off.  The  breath  was  so  milked 
from  my  lungs  when  I  was  up  that  I  could  no 
farther,  but  sat  me  down  on  first  arrival. 

"Now  it   behoves  thee   thus  to  put  off   sloth," 
said  the  Master,  "  for,  sitting  upon  down  or  under 

^  The  hill  of  the  first  Canto,  at  the  foot  of  which  Virgil  had 
appeared  to  Dante. 

2  The  level  of  the  whole  circle  slopes  toward  the  central  deep, 
80  that  the  inner  side  of  each  pit  is  of  leas  height  than  the  pater. 


CANTO  XXIV.  129 

quilt,  one  attains  not  fame,  wdthout  which  he  who 
consumes  his  life  leaves  of  himself  such  trace  on 
earth  as  smoke  in  air,  or  in  water  the  foam.  And 
therefore  rise  up,  conquer  the  exhaustion  with  the 
spirit  that  conquers  every  battle,  if  by  its  heavy 
body  it  be  not  dragged  down.  A  longer  stairway 
needs  must  be  ascended ;  it  is  not  enough  from  . 
these  to  have  departed ;  if  thou  understandest  me, 
now  act  so  that  it  avail  thee."  Then  I  rose  up, 
showing  myself  furnished  better  with  breath  than 
I  felt,  and  said,  "  Go  on,  for  I  am  strong  and  reso- 
lute." 

Up  along  the  crag  we  took  the  way,  which  was 
rugged,  narrow,  and  difficult,  and  far  steeper  than 
the  one  before.  I  was  going  along  speaking  in 
order  not  to  seem  breathless,  and  a  voice,  unsuit- 
able for  forming  words,  came  out  from  the  next 
ditch.  I  know  not  what  it  said,  though  I  was 
already  upon  the  back  of  the  arch  that  crosses  here  ; 
but  he  who  was  speaking  seemed  moved  to  anger. 
I  had  turned  downwards,  but  living  eyes  could  not 
go  to  the  bottom,  because  of  the  obscurity.  Where- 
fore I  said,  "  Master,  see  that  thou  go  on  to  the 
next  girth,  and  let  us  descend  the  wall,  for  as  from 
hence  I  hear  and  do  not  understand,  so  I  look  down 
and  shape  out  nothing."  "  Other  reply,"  he  said, 
"  I  give  thee  not  than  doing,  for  an  honest  request 
ought  to  be  followed  by  the  deed  in  silence." 


130  HELL. 

We  descended  the  bridge  at  its  head,  where  it 
joins  on  with  the  eighth  bank,  and  then  the  pit 
was  apparent  to  me.  And  I  saw  thei-ewithin  a 
terrible  heap  of  serpents,  and  of  such  hideous  look 
that  the  memory  still  curdles  my  blood.  Let  Libya 
with  her  sand  vaunt  herself  no  more ;  for  though 
she  brings  forth  chelydri,  jaculi,  and  phareae,  and 
cenchri  with  amphisbcena,  she  never,  with  all  Ethi- 
opia, nor  with  the  land  that  lies  on  the  Red  Sea, 
showed  either  so  many  plagues  or  so  evil. 

Amid  this  cruel  and  most  dismal  store  were  run- 
ning people  naked  and  in  terror,  without  hope  of 
hole  or  heliotrope.^  They  had  their  hands  tied  be- 
hind with  serpents,  which  fixed  through  the  reins 
their  tail  and  their  head,  and  were  knotted  up  in 
front. 

And  lo !  at  one,  who  was  on  our  side,  darted  a 
serpent  that  transfixed  him  there  where  the  neck  is 
knotted  to  the  shoulders.  Nor  O  nor  /was  ever  so 
quickly  written  as  he  took  fire  and  burned,  and  all 
ashes  it  behoved  him  to  become  in  falling.  And 
when  upon  the  ground  he  lay  thus  destroyed,  the 
dust  drew  together  of  itself,  and  into  that  same 
one  instantly  returned.  Thus  by  the  great  sages 
it  is  affirmed  that  the  Phoanix  dies,  and  then  is 
reborn  when  to  her  five  hundredth  year  she  draws 

^  A  precious  stone,  of  green  color,  spotted  mth  red,  supposed 
to  make  its  wearer  invisible. 


CANTO  XXIV-  131 

nigh.  Nor  herb  nor  grain  she  feeds  on  in  her  life, 
but  only  on  tears  of  incense  and  on  balsam,  and 
uard  and  myrrh  are  her  last  winding-sheet. 

And  as  he  who  falls  and  knows  not  how,  by  force 
of  demon  that  drags  him  to  ground,  or  of  other 
attack  that  seizeth  the  man ;  when  he  arises  and 
around  him  gazes,  all  bewildered  by  the  great  an- 
guish that  he  has  suffered,  and  in  looking  sighs, 
such  was  that  sinner  after  he  had  risen.  Oh  power 
of  God!  how  just  thou  art  that  showerest  down 
such  blows  for  vengeance  ! 

The  Leader  asked  him  then  who  he  was ;  whereon 
he  answered,  "  I  rained  from  Tuscany  short  time 
ago  into  this  fell  gullet.  Bestial  life,  and  not  hu- 
man, pleased  me,  like  a  mule  that  I  was.  I  am 
Vanni  Fucci,  beast,  and  Pistoia  was  my  fitting 
den."  And  I  to  my  Leader,  "  Tell  him  not  to 
budge,  and  ask  what  sin  thrust  him  down  here, 
for  I  have  seen  him  a  man  of  blood  and  rages." 
And  the  sinner  who  heard  dissembled  not,  but 
directed  toward  me  his  mind  and  his  face,  and 
was  painted  with  dismal  shame.  Then  he  said, 
"  More  it  grieves  me,  that  thou  hast  caught  me 
in  the  misery  where  thou  seest  me,  than  when  I 
was  taken  from  the  other  life.  I  cannot  refuse 
that  which  thou  demandest.  I  am  put  so  far  down 
because  I  was  robber  of  the  sacristy  with  the  fair 
furnishings,  and  falsely  hitherto  has  it  been  as- 


132  HELL. 

cribed  to  another.^  But  that  thou  enjoy  not  this 
sight,  i^  ever  thou  shalt  be  forth  of  these  dark 
places,  open  thine  ears  to  my  announcement  and 
hear.2  Pistoia  first  strips  itself  of  the  Black,  then 
Florence  renovates  her  people  and  her  customs. 
Mars  draws  a  flame  from  Val  di  Magra  wrapped 
in  turbid  clouds,  and  with  impetuous  and  bitter 
storm  shall  it  be  opposed  upon  Campo  Piceno, 
where  it  shall  suddenly  rend  the  mist,  so  that  every 
White  shall  thereby  be  smitten.  And  this  have  I 
said  because  it  must  grieve  thee." 

^  Vanni  Fucei  robbed  the  rich  sacristy  of  the  Church  of  St. 
James,  the  cathedral  of  Pistoia.  Suspicion  of  the  crime  fell  upon 
others,  who,  though  innocent,  were  put  to  torture  and  hung  for  it. 

2  The  following  verses  refer  under  their  dark  imagery  to  the 
two  parties,  the  Black  and  the  White,  introduced  from  Pistoia,  by 
which  Florence  was  divided  in  the  early  years  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  and  to  their  fightings.  The  prophecy  is  dismal  to  Dante, 
because  it  was  with  the  Whites,  whose  overthrow  Vanni  Fucci 
foretells,  that  his  own  fortunes  were  linked. 


CANTO  XXV. 

Eighth  Circle:  seventh  pit :  fraudulent  thieves.  —  Cacns. 
—  Agnel  Brunelleschi  and  others. 

At  the  end  of  his  words  the  thief  raised  his 
hands  with  both  the  figs,^  crying,  "Take  that, 
God !  for  at  Thee  I  square  them."  Thenceforth 
the  serpents  were  my  friends,  for  then  one  coiled 
around  his  neck,  as  if  it  said,  "  I  will  not  that  thou 
say  more,"  and  another  round  his  arms  and  bound 
them  up  anew,  clinching  itself  so  in  front  that  he 
could  not  givs  a  shake  with  them.  Ah  Pistoia! 
Pistoia !  why  dost  thou  not  decree  to  make  ashes 
of  thyself,  so  that  thou  mayest  last  no  longer,  since 
in  evil-doing  thou  surpassest  thine  own  seed?^ 
Through  all  the  daik  circles  of  Hell  I  saw  no 
spirit  against  God  so  proud,  not  he  who  fell  at 
Thebes  down  from  the  walls.^  He  fled  away  and 
spake  no  word  more. 

And  I  saw  a  Centaur  full  of  rage  come  crying 

^  A  vulgar  mode  of  contemptuous  defiance,  thrusting  out  the 
fist  with  the  thumb  between  the  first  and  middle  finger. 

2  According  to  tradition,  Pistoia  was  settled  by  the  followers 
of  Catiline  who  escaped  after  his  defeat. 

'  Capaneus ;  see  Canto  xiv. 


134  HELL. 

out,  "  Where  is,  where  is  that  obdurate  one  ?  "  I 
do  not  think  Maremma  has  so  many  snakes  as  he 
had  upon  his  croup  up  to  where  our  semblance 
begins.  On  his  shoulders  behind  the  nape  a 
dragon  with  open  wings  was  lying  upon  him,  and 
it  sets  on  fire  whomsoever  it  encounters.  .My  Mas- 
ter said,  "  This  is  Cacus,  who  beneath  the  rock  of 
Mount  Aventine  made  oftentimes  a  lake  of  blood. 
He  goes  not  on  one  road  with  his  brothers  because 
of  the  fraudulent  theft  he  committed  of  the  great 
herd  that  was  in  his  neighborhood;  wherefor  his 
crooked  deeds  ceased  under  the  club  of  Hercules, 
who  perhaps  dealt  him  a  hundred  blows  with  it, 
and  he  felt  not  ten." 

While  he  was  so  speaking,  and  that  one  had  run 
by,  lo !  three  spirits  came  below  us,  of  whom  nei- 
ther I  nor  my  Leader  was  aware  till  when  they 
cried  out,  "  Who  are  ye  ? "  whereon  our  stoiy 
stopped,  and  we  then  attended  only  unto  them.  I 
did  not  recognize  them,  but  it  happened,  as  it  is 
wont  to  happen  by  chance,  that  one  must  needs 
name  the  other,  saying,  "  Cianfa,  where  can  he 
have  stayed  ?  "  Whereupon  I,  in  order  that  the 
Leader  should  attend,  put  my  finger  upward  from 
my  chin  to  my  nose. 

If  thou  art  now,  Reader,  slow  to  credit  that  which 
I  shall  tell,  it  will  not  be  a  marvel,  for  I  who  saw  it 
hardly  admit  it  to  myself.     As  I  was  holding  my 


CANTO  XXV.  135 

brow  raised  upon  them,  lo  !  a  serpent  with  six  feet 
darts  in  front  of  one,  and  grapples  close  to  him. 
With  his  middle  feet  he  clasped  his  paunch,  and 
with  his  forward  took  his  arms,  then  struck  his 
fangs  in  one  and  the  other  cheek.  His  hinder  feet 
he  stretched  upon  the  thighs,  and  put  his  tail  be- 
tween the  two,  and  behind  bent  it  up  along  the 
reins.  Ivy  was  never  so  bearded  to  a  tree,  as 
the  horrible  beast  through  the  other's  limbs  en- 
twined his  own.  Then  they  stuck  together  as  if 
they  had  been  of  hot  wax,  and  mingled  their  color  ; 
nor  one  nor  the  other  seemed  now  that  which  it 
was ;  even  as  before  the  flame,  up  along  the  paper 
a  dark  color  proceeds  which  is  not  yet  black,  and 
the  white  dies  away.  The  other  two  were  looking 
on,  and  each  cried,  "  O  me !  Agnello,  how  thou 
changest !  Lo,  now  thou  art  neither  two  nor  one !  " 
Now  were  the  two  heads  become  one,  when  there 
appeared  to  us  two  countenances  mixed  in  one  face 
wherein  the  two  were  lost.  Of  four  ^  strips  the 
two  arms  were  made ;  the  thighs  with  the  legs, 
the  belly  and  the  chest  became  members  that  were 
never  seen  before.  Each  original  aspect  there  was 
cancelled ;  both  and  neither  the  perverse  image 
appeared,  and  such  it  went  away  with  slow  step. 
As  the  lizard  under  the  great  scourge  of  the  dog- 

^  The  two  fore  feet  of  the  dragon  and  the  two  arms  of  the  man 
were  melted  into  two  strange  arms. 


136  EELL. 

days,  changing  from  hedge  to  hedge,  seems  a  flash, 
if  it  crosses  the  way,  so  seemed,  coming  toward  the 
belly  of  the  two  others,  a  little  fiery  serpent,  livid, 
and  black  as  a  grain  of  pepper.  And  that  part 
whereby  our  nourishment  is  first  taken  it  transfixed 
in  one  of  them,  then  fell  down  stretched  out  before 
him.  The  transfixed  one  gazed  at  it,  but  said 
nothing ;  nay  rather,  with  feet  fixed,  he  yawned 
even  as  if  sleep  or  fever  had  assailed  him.  He 
looked  at  the  serpent,  and  that  at  him  ;  one  through 
his  wound,  the  other  through  his  mouth,  smoked 
violently,  and  their  smoke  met.  Let  Lucan  hence- 
forth be  silent,  where  he  tells  of  the  wretched  Sa- 
bellus,  and  of  Nasidius,  and  wait  to  hear  that  which 
now  is  uttered.  Let  Ovid  be  silent  concerning 
Cadmus  and  Arethusa,  for  if,  poetizing,  he  converts 
him  into  a  serpent  and  her  into  a  fountain,  I  envy 
him  not ;  for  two  natures  front  to  front  never  did 
he  transmute,  so  that  both  the  forms  were  prompt 
to  exchange  their  matter.  To  one  another  they  re- 
sponded by  such  rules,  that  the  serpent  made  his 
tail  into  a  fork,  and  the  wounded  one  drew  together 
his  feet.  The  legs  and  the  very  thighs  with  them 
so  stuck  together,  that  in  short  while  the  juncture 
made  no  sign  that  was  apparent.  The  cleft  tail 
took  on  the  shape  that  was  lost  there,  and  its  skin 
became  soft,  and  that  of  the  other  hard.  I  saw 
the  arms  draw  in  through  the  armpits,  and  the  two 


CANTO  XXV.  137 

feet  of  the  beast  which  were  short  lengthen  out  in 
proportion  as  those  shortened.  Then  the  hinder 
feet,  twisted  together,  became  the  member  that 
man  conceals,  and  the  wretched  one  from  his  had 
two  ^  stretched  forth. 

While  the  smoke  is  veiling  both  with  a  new 
color,  and  generates  hair  on  the  one,  and  from 
the  other  strips  it,  one  rose  up,  and  the  other 
feU  down,  not  however  turning  aside  their  piti- 
less lights,^  beneath  which  each  was  changing  his 
visage.  He  who  was  erect  drew  his  in  toward  the 
temples,  and,  from  the  excess  of  material  that  came 
in  there,  issued  the  ears  on  the  smooth  cheeks ; 
that  which  did  not  run  backwards  but  was  retained, 
of  its  superfluity  made  a  nose  for  the  face,  and 
thickened  the  lips  so  far  as  was  needful.  He  who 
was  lying  down  drives  his  muzzle  forward,  and 
draws  in  his  ears  through  his  skull,  as  the  snail 
doth  his  horns.  And  his  tongue,  which  erst  was 
united  and  fit  for  speech,  cleaves  itself,  and  the 
forked  one  of  the  other  closes  up ;  and  the  smoke 
stops.  The  soul  that  had  become  a  brute  fled  hiss- 
ing along  the  valley,  and  behind  him  the  other 
speaking  spits.  Then  he  turned  upon  him  his  new 
shoulders,   and   said  to   the  other,^   "  I  will  that 

^  Hinder  feet. 

2  Glaxing  steadily  at  each  other. 

'  The  third  of  the  three  spirits,  the  only  one  unchangfecL 


138  HELL. 

Buoso  ^  run,  as  I  have  done,  groveling  along  this 
path." 

Thus  I  saw  the  seventh  ballast  ^  change  and  re- 
change,  and  here  let  the  novelty  be  my  excuse,  if 
my  pen  straggle  ^  a  little.  And  although  my  eyes 
were  somewhat  confused,  and  my  mind  bewildered, 
those  could  not  flee  away  so  covertly  but  that  I 
clearly  distinguished  Puccio  Sciancato,  and  he  it 
was  who  alone,  of  the  three  companions  that  had 
first  come,  was  not  changed ;  the  other  *  was  he 
whom  thou,  Gaville,  weepest. 

^  Buoso  is  he  who  has  become  a  snake. 

2  The  ballast,  —  the  sinners  in  the  seventh  bolg^a. 

'  Rnn  into  nnnsnal  detail. 

*  One  Francesco  Guercio  de'  Cavalcanti,  who  was  slain  by  men 
of  the  little  Florentine  town  of  Gaville,  and  for  whose  death 
cmel  vengeance  was  taken.  The  three  who  had  first  come  were 
the  three  Florentine  thieves,  Ag^eUo,  Buoso,  and  Puccio.  Cianfa 
Donati  had  then  appeared  as  the  serpent  with  six  feet,  and  had 
been  incorporated  with  Agnello.  Lastly  came  Guercio  Cavalcanti 
as  a  little  snake,  and  changed  form  with  Buoso. 


CANTO  XXVI. 

Eighth  Circle  :  eighth  pit  :  fraudulent  connselorg.  -» 
Ulysses  and  Diomed. 

Rejoice,  Florence,  since  thou  art  so  great  that 
over  sea  and  land  thou  beatest  thy  wings,  and  thy 
name  is  spread  through  Hell.  Among  the  thieves 
I  found  five  such,  thy  citizens,  whereat  shame  comes 
to  me,  and  thou  unto  great  honor  risest  not  thereby. 
But,  if  near  the  morning  one  dreams  the  truth,  thou 
shalt  feel  within  little  time  what  Prato,  as  well  as 
others,  craves  for  thee.^  And  if  now  it  were,  it 
would  not  be  too  soon.  Wovdd  that  it  were  so ! 
since  surely  it  must  be ;  for  the  more  it  will  weigh 
on  me  the  more  I  age. 

We  departed  thence,  and  up  along  the  stairs  that 
the  bourns  ^  had  made  for  our  descent  before,  my 
Leader  remounted  and  dragged  me.  And  pursuing 
the  solitary  way  mid  the  splinters  and  rocks  of  the 
crag,  the  foot  without  the  hand  sped  not.  Then  I 
grieved,  and  now  I  grieve  again  when  I  direct  my 
mind  to  what  I  saw  ;  and  I  curb  my  genius  more 

^  If  that  -which  I  foresee  is  not  a  vain  dream,  the  calamities 
which  thine  enemies  craf e  for  thee  will  soon  be  felt. 
^  The  projections  of  the  rocky  wall. 


140  HELL. 

than  I  am  wont,  that  it  may  not  run  unless  virtue 
guide  it ;  so  that  if  a  good  star,  or  better  thing,  has 
given  me  of  good,  I  may  not  grudge  it  to  myself. 

As  the  rustic  who  rests  him  on  the  hill  in  the 
season  when  he  that  brightens  the  world  keepeth 
his  face  least  hidden  from  us,  what  time  the  fly 
yieldeth  to  the  gnat,^  sees  many  fireflies  down  in  the 
valley,  perhaps  there  where  he  makes  his  vintage 
and  ploughs,  —  with  as  many  flames  all  the  eighth 
pit  was  resplendent,  as  I  perceived  soon  as  I  was 
there  where  the  bottom  became  apparent.  And  as 
he  ^  who  was  avenged  by  the  bears  saw  the  chariot 
of  Elijah  at  its  departure,  when  the  horses  rose 
erect  to  heaven,  and  could  not  so  follow  it  with  his 
eyes  as  to  see  aught  save  the  flame  alone,  even  as 
a  little  cloud,  mounting  upward :  thus  each  ^  was 
moving  through  the  gulley  of  the  ditch,  for  not 
one  shows  its  theft,  and  every  flame  steals  away  a 
sinner.* 

I  was  standing  on  the  bridge,  risen  up  to  look, 
so  that  if  I  had  not  taken  hold  of  a  rock  I  should 
have  fallen  below  without  being  pushed.  And  the 
Leader,  who  saw  me  thus  attent,  said,  "  Within 
these  fires  are  the  spirits  ;  each  is  swathed  by  that 

^  That  is,  in  the  summer  twilight. 

2  Elisha.     2  Kings  ii.  9-24. 

'  Of  those  flames.  * 

*  Within  each  flame  a  sinner  vias  concealed. 


CANTO  XXVI.  141 

■wherewith  he  is  enkindled."  "  My  Master,"  I  re- 
plied, "  by  hearing  thee  am  I  more  certain,  but 
already  I  deemed  that  it  was  so,  and  already  I 
wished  to  say  to  thee,  Who  is  in  that  fire  that 
Cometh  so  divided  at  its  top  that  it  seems  to  rise 
from  the  pyre  on  which  Eteocles  was  put  with  his 
brother  ?  "  ^  He  answered  me,  "  There  within  are 
tormented  Ulysses  and  Diomed,  and  thus  together 
they  go  in  punishment,  as  of  old  in  wrath.^  And 
within  their  flame  they  groan  for  the  ambush  of 
the  horse  that  made  the  gate,  whence  the  gentle 
seed  of  the  Romans  issued  forth.  Within  it  they 
lament  for  the  artifice  whereby  the  dead  Deidamia 
still  mourns  for  Achilles,  and  there  for  the  Palla- 
dium they  bear  the  penalty."  ^  "  If  they  can  speak 
within  those  sparkles,"  said  I,  "Master,  much  I 

^  Eteocles  and  Polynices,  sons  of  CEdipns  and  Jocaste,  who,  con- 
tending at  the  siege  of  Thebes,  slew  each  other.  Such  was  their 
mutual  hate  that,  when  their  bodies  were  burned  on  the  same 
funeral  pile,  the  flames  divided  in  two. 

—  exundant  diviso  vertice  flammae 
Altemosque  apices  abrupta  luce  coruscant. 

Btatiufl,  Thebaid,  lii.  431-2. 
^  Against  the  Trojans. 

^  It  was  through  the  stratagem  of  the  wooden  horse  that  Troy 
•was  destroyed,  and  ^neas  thus  compelled  to  lead  forth  his  fol- 
lowers who  became  the  seed  of  the  Romans.  Deidamia  was  the 
wife  of  Achilles,  who  slew  herself  for  grief  at  his  desertion  and 
departure  for  Troy,  which  had  been  brought  about  by  the  deceit 
of  Ulysses  and  Diomed.  The  Palladium  was  the  statue  of  Athena, 
on  which  the  safety  of  Troy  depended,  stolen  by  the  two  heroes. 


142  HELL. 

pray  thee,  and  repray  that  the  prayer  avail  a 
thousand,  that  thou  make  not  to  me  denial  of 
waiting  till  the  horned  flame  come  hither ;  thou 
seest  that  with  desire  I  bend  me  toward  it."  And 
he  to  me,  "  Thy  prayer  is  worthy  of  much  praise, 
and  therefore  I  accept  it,  but  take  heed  that  thy 
tongue  restrain  itself.  Leave  speech  to  me,  for  I 
have  conceived  what  thou  wishest,  for,  because  they 
are  Greeks,  they  would  be  shy,  perchance,  of  thy 
words."  ^ 

When  the  flame  had  come  there  where  it  seemed 
to  my  Leader  time  and  place,  in  this  form  I  heard 
him  speak  to  it :  "  O  ye  who  are  two  within  one 
fire,  if  I  deserved  of  you  while  I  lived,  if  I  deserved 
of  you  much  or  little,  when  in  the  world  I  wrote  the 
lofty  verses,  move  not,  but  let  one  of  you  tell  us, 
where,  having  lost  himself,  he  went  away  to  die." 
The  greater  horn  of  the  ancient  flame  began  to 
waver,  murmuring,  even  as  a  flame  that  the  wind 
wearies.  Then  moving  its  tip  hither  and  thither, 
as  it  had  been  the  tongue  that  would  speak,  it  cast 
forth  a  voice,  and  said,  — 

"  When  I  departed  from  Circe,  who  had  retained 
me  more  than  a  year  there  near  to  Gaeta,  before 
.^neas  had  so  named  it,  neither  fondness  for  my 
son,  nor   piety  for   my  old   father,   nor  the   due 

^  The  ancient  heroes  might  be  averse  to  talking  with  a  man 
of  the  strange  modem  world. 


i 


CANTO  XXVI.  143 

love  that  should  have  made  Penelope  glad,  could 
overcome  within  me  the  ardor  that  I  had  to  gain 
experience  of  the  world,  and  of  the  vices  of  men, 
and  of  their  valor.  But  I  put  forth  on  the  deep, 
open  sea,  with  one  vessel  only,  and  with  that  little 
company  by  which  I  had  not  been  deserted.  One 
shore  and  the  other  ^  I  saw  as  far  as  Spain,  far  as 
Morocco  and  the  island  of  Sardinia,  and  the  rest 
which  that  sea  bathes  round  about.  I  and  my  com- 
panions were  old  and  slow  when  we  came  to  that 
narrow  strait  where  Hercules  set  up  his  bounds,  to 
the  end  that  man  may  not  put  out  beyond.^  On 
the  right  hand  I  left  Seville,  on  the  other  already 
I  had  left  Ceuta.  '  O  brothers,'  said  I,  '  who 
through  a  hundred  thousand  perils  have  reached 
the  West,  to  this  so  little  vigil  of  your  senses  that 
remains  be  ye  unwilling  to  deny  the  experience, 
following  the  sun,  of  the  world  that  hath  no  people. 
Consider  ye  your  origin ;  ye  were  not  made  to  live 
as  brutes,  but  for  pursuit  of  virtue  and  of  know- 
ledge.' With  this  little  speech  I  made  my  compan- 
ions so  eager  for  the  road  that  hardly  afterwards 
Bould  I  have  held  them  back.  And  turning  our 
stern  to  the  morning,  with  our  oars  we  made  wings 
for  the  mad  flight,  always  gaining  on  the  left  hand 

^  Of  the  Mediterranean. 

2  Piii  oltre  non;  the  famous  Neplus  ultra,  adopted  as  his  motto 
ty  Charles  V. 


144  HELL. 

side.  The  night  saw  now  all  the  stars  of  the  other 
pole,  and  ours  so  low  that  it  rose  not  forth  from 
the  ocean  floor.  Five  times  rekindled  and  as  many 
quenched  was  the  light  beneath  the  moon,  since  we 
had  entered  on  the  deep  pass,  when  there  appeared 
to  us  a  mountain  dim  through  the  distance,  and  it 
appeared  to  me  so  high  as  I  had  not  seen  any. 
We  rejoiced  thereat,  and  soon  it  turned  to  lamen- 
tation, for  from  the  strange  land  a  whirlwind  rose, 
and  struck  the  fore  part  of  the  vessel.  Three  times 
it  made  her  whirl  with  all  the  waters,  the  fourth 
it  made  her  stem  lift  up,  and  the  prow  go  down, 
as  pleased  Another,  till  the  sea  had  closed  over 
us." 


CANTO  XXVII. 

Eighth  Circle  :  eighth  pit  :  fraudulent  counselors.  — 
Guido  da  Montefeltro. 

Now  was  the  flame  erect  and  quiet,  through 
not  speaking  more,  and  now  was  going  from  us, 
with  the  permission  of  the  sweet  poet,  when  an- 
other that  was  coming  behind  it  made  us  turn  our 
eyes  to  its  tip,  by  a  confused  sound  that  issued 
forth  therefrom.  As  the  Sicilian  bull  ^  —  that  bel- 
lowed first  with  the  plaint  of  him  (and  that  was 
right)  who  had  shaped  it  with  his  file  —  was  wont 
to  beUow  with  the  voice  of  the  sufferer,  so  that,  al- 
though it  was  of  brass,  yet  it  appeared  transfixed 
with  pain,  thus,  through  not  at  first  having  way 
or  outlet  from  the  fire,  the  disconsolate  words  were 
converted  into  its  language.  But  when  they  had 
taken  their  course  up  through  the  point,  giving  it 
that  vibration  which  the  tongue  had  given  in  their 
passage,  we  heard  say,  "  O  thou,  to  whom  I  direct 

^  The  brazen  bull  of  Phalaris,  tyrant  of  Agfrigentum,  made  to 
hold  criminals  to  be  burned  within  it.  Perillus,  its  inventor,  was 
the  first  to  suffer.  So  these  sinners  are  wrapped  in  the  flames 
which  their  fraudident  counsels  had  prepared  for  them. 


146  HELL. 

my  voice,  thou  that  wast  just  speaking  Lombard,^ 
saying,  '  Now  go  thy  way,  no  more  I  urge  thee,' 
although  I  may  have  arrived  perchance  somewhat 
late,  let  it  not  irk  thee  to  stop  to  speak  with  me, 
behold,  it  irks  not  me,  and  I  am  burning.  If  thou 
but  now  into  this  blind  world  art  fallen  from  that 
sweet  Latian  land  whence  I  bring  all  my  sin,  tell 
me  if  the  Romagnuoli  have  peace  or  war  ;  for  I  was 
from  the  mountains  there  between  Urbino  and  the 
chain  from  which  Tiber  is  unlocked."  ^ 

I  was  still  downward  attent  and  leaning  over 
when  my  Leader  touched  me  on  the  side,  saying, 
"  Speak  thou,  this  is  a  Latian."  And  I,  who  even 
now  had  my  answer  ready,  without  delay  began 
to  speak,  "  O  soul,  that  art  hidden  there  below,  thy 
Romagna  is  not,  and  never  was,  without  war  in  the 
hearts  of  her  tyrants,  but  open  war  none  have  I 
left  there  now.  Ravenna  is  as  it  hath  been  for 
many  years;  the  eagle  of  Polenta^  is  brooding 
there,  so  that  he  covers  Cervia  with  his  wings. 

*  Lombard,  because  the  words  were  those  of  Virgil,  whose 
"  parents  were  Lombards,"  and  in  speaking  he  had  used  a  form 
peculiar  to  the  Lombard  dialect. 

2  It  is  the  spirit  of  the  Ghibelline  comit,  Goido  da  Montefeltro, 
a  famous  freebooting  captain,  who  speaks. 

^  Guido  Novello  da  Polenta  had  been  lord  of  Ravenna  since 
1275.  He  was  father  of  Francesca  da  Kimiui,  and  a  friend  of 
Dante.  His  shield  bore  an  eagle,  g^les,  on  a  field,  or.  Cervia  is 
a  small  town  on  the  coast,  not  far  from  Ravenna. 


CANTO  XXVII.  147 

The  city  ^  that  made  ere  while  the  long  struggle,  and 
of  the  French  a  bloody  heap,  finds  itself  again 
beneath  the  green  paws.  And  the  old  mastiff  and 
the  new  of  Verrucchio,^  who  made  the  ill  disposal 
of  Montagna,  make  an  auger  of  their  teeth  there 
where  they  are  wont.  The  little  lion  of  the  white 
lair  ^  governs  the  city  of  Lamone  and  of  Santerno, 
and  changes  side  from  summer  to  winter.  And 
she*  whose  flank  the  Savio  bathes,  even  as  she  sits 
between  the  plain  and  the  mountain,  lives  between 
tyranny  and  a  free  state.  Now  who  thou  art,  I 
pray  thee  that  thou  tell  us ;  be  not  harder  than 
another  hath  been,^  so  may  thy  name  in  the  world 
hold  front." 

After  the  fire  had  somewhat  roared  according  to 
its  fashion,  the  sharp  point  moved  this  way  and 

^  Forll,  where  in  1282  Guido  da  Montefeltro  had  defeated,  with 
great  slaughter,  a  troop,  largely  of  French  soldiers,  sent  against 
him  by  Pope  Martin  III.  It  was  now  ruled  by  the  Ordelaffi, 
whose  shield,  party  per  fess,  bore  on  its  upper  half,  or,  a  demi- 
lion,  vert. 

^  Malatesta,  father  and  son,  rulers  of  Rimini ;  father  and  bro- 
ther of  the  husband  and  of  the  lover  of  Francesca  da  Rimini. 
They  had  cruelly  put  to  death  Montana  di  Parcitade,  the  head 
of  the  Ghibellines  of  Rimini ;  and  they  ruled  as  tyrants,  sucking 
the  blood  of  their  subjects. 

^  This  is  Maghinardo  da  Susinana,  who  bore  a  lion  azure  on  a 
field  argent. 

*  The  city  of  Cesena. 

'  Refuse  not  to  answer  me  as  I  have  answered  thee. 


148  HELL. 

that,  and  then  gave  forth  this  breath  :  "  If  I  could 
believe  that  my  answer  might  be  to  a  person  who 
should  ever  return  unto  the  world,  this  flame  would 
stand  without  more  quiverings  ;  but  inasmuch  as, 
if  I  hear  truth,  never  from  this  depth  did  any  liv- 
ing man  return,  without  fear  of  infamy  I  answer 
thee. 

"  I  was  a  man  of  arms,  and  then  became  a 
cordelier,  trusting,  thus  girt,  to  make  amends  ;  and 
surely  my  trust  had  been  fidfilled  but  for  the  Great 
Priest,^  whom  may  ill  betide  !  who  set  me  back  into 
my  first  sins  ;  and  how  and  wherefore,  I  will  that 
thou  hear  from  me.  While  I  was  that  form  of 
bone  and  flesh  that  my  mother  gave  me,  my  works 
were  not  leonine,  but  of  the  fox.  The  wily  prac- 
tices, and  the  covert  ways,  I  knew  them  all,  and  I 
so  plied  their  art  that  to  the  earth's  end  the  sound 
went  forth.  When  I  saw  me  arrived  at  that  part 
of  my  age  where  every  one  ought  to  strike  the  sails 
and  to  coil  up  the  ropes,  what  erst  was  pleasing  to 
me  then  gave  me  pain,  and  I  yielded  me  repentant 
and  confessed.  Alas  me  wretched !  and  it  would 
have  availed.  The  Prince  of  the  new  Pharisees 
having  war  near  the  Lateran,^  —  and  not  with  Sar- 
acens nor  with  Jews,  for  every  enemy  of  his  was 
Christian,  and  none  of  them  had  been  to  conquer 

1  Boniface  VIII. 

'  With  the  Colonna  family,  whose  stronghold  was  Palestrina. 


CANTO  XXVII.  149 

Acre,^  nor  a  trafficker  in  the  land  of  the  Soldan, 
—  regarded  in  himself  neither  his  supreme  office, 
nor  the  holy  orders,  nor  in  me  that  cord  which  is 
wont  to  make  those  girt  with  it  more  lean  ;  but  as 
Constantine  besought  Sylvester  within  Soracte  to 
cure  his  leprosy,^  so  this  one  besought  me  as  master 
to  cure  his  proud  fever.  He  asked  counsel  of  me, 
and  I  kept  silence,  because  his  words  seemed 
drunken.  And  then  he  said  to  me,  '  Let  not  thy 
heart  mistrust  ;  from  now  I  absolve  thee,  and 
do  thou  teach  me  to  act  so  that  I  may  throw 
Palestrina  to  the  ground.  Heaven  can  I  lock  and 
unlock,  as  thou  knowest ;  for  two  are  the  keys 
that  my  predecessor  held  not  dear.'  ^  Then  his 
grave  arguments  pushed  me  to  where  silence 
seemed  to  me  the  worst,  and  I  said,  '  Father,  since 
thou  washest  me  of  that  sin  wherein  I  now  must 
fall,  long  promise  with  short  keeping  will  make 
thee  triumph  on  the  High  Seat.'  Francis*  came 
for  me  afterwards,  when  I  was  dead,  but  one  of  the 
Black  Cherubim  said  to  him,  '  Bear  him  not  away ; 
do  me  not  wrong ;  he  must  come  down  among  my 

1  Not  one  had  been  a  renegade,  to  help  the  Saracens  at  the  siege 
of  Acre  in  1291. 

2  It  was  for  this  service  that  Constantine  was  supposed  to  have 
made  Sylvester  "  the  first  rich  Father."    See  Canto  xiv. 

8  His  predecessor,  Celestine  V.,  had  renounced  the  papacy. 
*  St.  Francis  came  for  his  soul,  as  that  of  one  of  the  brethren 
of  bis  Order. 


150  HELL. 

drudges  because  he  gave  the  fraudulent  counsel, 
since  which  till  now  I  have  been  at  his  hair ; 
for  he  who  repents  not  cannot  be  absolved,  nor 
can  repentance  and  will  exist  together,  because  of 
the  contradiction  that  allows  it  not.'  O  woeful 
me !  how  I  shuddered  when  he  took  me,  saying 
to  me,  '  Perhaps  thou  didst  not  think  that  I  was 
a  logician.'  To  Minos  he  bore  me  ;  and  he 
twined  his  tail  eight  times  round  his  hard  back, 
and,  after  he  had  bitten  it  in  great  rage,  he  said, 
'  This  is  one  of  the  sinners  of  the  thievish  fire.' 
Therefore  I,  where  thou  seest,  am  lost,  and  going 
thus  robed  I  rankle."  When  he  had  thus  com- 
pleted his  speech  the  flame,  sorrowing,  departed, 
twisting  and  flapping  its  sharp  horn. 

We  passed  onward,  I  and  my  Leader,  along  the 
crag,  far  as  upon  the  next  arch  that  covers  the 
ditch  in  which  the  fee  is  paid  by  those  who,  sow- 
ing discord,  win  their  burden. 


CANTO  XXVIII. 

Eighth  Circle  :  ninth  pit :  sowers  of  discord  and  schism. 
—  Mahomet  and  Ali.  —  Fra  Dolcino.  —  Pier  da  Medicina.  — 
Curio.  —  Mosca.  —  Bertran  de  Born. 

Who,  even  with  words  unfettered,^  could  ever 
tell  in  full  of  the  blood  and  of  the  wounds  that  I 
now  saw,  though  many  times  narrating  ?  Every 
tongue  assuredly  would  come  short,  by  reason  of 
our  speech  and  our  memory  that  have  small  ca^ 
pacity  to  comprise  so  much. 

If  all  the  people  were  again  assembled,  that  of 
old  upon  the  fateful  land  of  Apulia  lamented  for 
their  blood  shed  by  the  Trojans,^  and  in  the  long 
war  that  made  such  high  spoil  of  the  rings,'  as 
Livy  writes,  who  erreth  not ;  with  those  that,  by 
resisting  Robert  Guiscard,*  felt  the  pain  of  blows, 
and  the  rest  whose  bones  are  still  heaped  up  at 
Ceperano,^  where  every    Apulian  was   false,  and 

1  In  prose. 

2  The  Romans,  descendants  of  the  Trojans. 

8  The  spoils  of  the  battle  of  Cannse,  in  the  second  Punic  War. 

*  The  Norman  conqueror  and  Duke  of  Apulia.  He  died  in 
1085. 

^  Where,  in  1266,  the  leaders  of  the  army  of  Manfred,  King  of 
Apulia  and  Sicily,  treacherously  went  over  to  Charles  of  Anjou. 


152  HELL. 

there  by  Tagliacozzo,^  where  without  arms  the  old 
Alardo  conquered,  —  and  one  should  show  his  limb 
pierced  through,  and  one  his  lopped  off,  it  would 
be  nothing  to  equal  the  grisly  mode  of  the  ninth  pit. 
Truly  cask,  by  losing  mid-board  or  cross-piece,  is 
not  so  split  open  as  one  I  saw  cleft  from  the  chin 
to  where  the  wind  is  broken  :  between  his  legs  were 
hanging  his  entrails,  his  inner  parts  were  visible, 
and  the  dismal  sack  that  makes  ordure  of  what  is 
swallowed.  Whilst  all  on  seeing  him  I  fix  myself, 
he  looked  at  me,  and  with  his  hands  opened  his 
breast,  saying,  "  Now  see  how  I  rend  myself,  see 
how  mangled  is  Mahomet.  Ali  ^  goeth  before  me 
weeping,  cleft  in  the  face  from  chin  to  forelock ; 
and  all  the  others  whom  thou  seest  here  were,  when 
living,  sowers  of  scandal  and  of  schism,  and  there- 
fore are  they  so  cleft.  A  devil  is  here  behind,  that 
adjusts  us  so  cruelly,  putting  again  to  the  edge  of 
the  sword  each  of  this  crpw,  when  we  have  turned 
the  doleful  road,  because  the  wounds  are  closed 
up  ere  one  passes  again  before  him.  But  thou, 
who  art  thou,  that  musest  on  the  crag,  perchance 
to  delay  going  to  the  punishment  that  is  adjudged 

^  Here,  in  1205,  Conradin,  the  nephew  of  Manfred,  was  de- 
feated and  taken  prisoner.  The  victory  was  won  by  a  stratagem 
devised  by  Count  Erard  de  Val^ry. 

2  Cousin  and  son-in-law  of  Mahomet,  and  himself  the  head  of 
a  schism. 


CANTO  xxvin.  158 

on  thine  own  accusations  ?  "  ^  "  Nor  death  hath 
reached  him  yet,"  replied  my  Master,  "  nor  doth 
sin  lead  him  to  torment  him  ;  but,  in  order  to  give 
him  full  experience,  it  behoves  me,  who  am  dead, 
to  lead  him  through  Hell  down  here,  from  circle 
to  circle  ;  and  this  is  true  as  that  I  speak  to  thee." 

More  than  a  hundred  there  were  that,  when  they 
heard  him,  stopped  in  the  ditch  to  look  at  me,  for- 
getting the  torment  in  their  wonder. 

"  Now,  say  to  Fra  Dolcino,^  then,  thou  who  per- 
chance shalt  shortly  see  the  sun,  if  he  wish  not 
soon  to  follow  me  here,  so  to  arm  himself  with  sup- 
plies that  stress  of  snow  bring  not  the  victory  to 
the  Novarese,  which  otherwise  to  gain  would  not 
be  easy  :  "  —  after  he  had  lifted  one  foot  to  go  on 
Mahomet  said  to  me  these  words,  then  on  the 
ground  he  stretched  it  to  depart. 

Another  who  had  his  throat  pierced  and  his  nose 
cut  off  up  under  his  brows,  and  had  but  one  ear 
only,  having  stopped  to  look  in  wonder  with  the 
rest,  before  the  rest  opened  his  gullet,  which  out- 
wardly was  all  crimson,  and  said,  "  O  thou  whom  sin 
condemns  not,  and  whom  of  old  I  saw  above  in  the 

1  When  the  soul  appears  before  Minos,  every  sin  is  confessed. 
See  Canto  V. 

-  A  noted  heretic  and  reformer,  who  for  two  years  maintained 
himself  in  Lombardy  against  the  forces  of  the  Pope,  but  finally, 
being  rednced  by  farainu  in  time  of  snow,  in  1307,  was  taken  cap- 
tire  and  burnt  at  Novara. 


154  HELL. 

Latian  land,  if  too  great  resemblance  deceive  me 
not,  remember  Pier  da  Medicina  ^  if  ever  thou  re- 
turn to  see  the  sweet  plain  that  from  Vercelli  slopes 
to  Marcabb,  and  make  known  to  the  two  best  of 
Fano,  to  Messer  Guido  and  likewise  to  Angiolello,^ 
that,  if  foresight  here  be  not  vain,  they  will  be 
cast  forth  from  their  vessel  and  drowned  near  to 
the  Cattolica,  by  treachery  of  a  fell  tyrant.  Be- 
tween the  islands  of  Cyprus  and  Majorca  Neptune 
never  saw  so  great  a  crime,  not  of  the  pirates,  nor 
of  the  Argolic  people.  That  traitor  who  sees  only 
with  one  eye,  and  holds  the  city  from  sight  of  which 
one  who  is  here  with  me  would  fain  have  fasted,^ 
will  make  them  come  to  parley  with  him  ;  then  will 
act  so  that  against  the  wind  of  Focara  *  they  will  not 
need  or  vow  or  prayer."  And  I  to  him,  "  Show 
to  me  and  declare,  if  thou  wishest  that  I  carry 
up  news  of  thee,  who  is  he  of  the  bitter  sight  ?  "  ^ 
Then  he  put  his  hand  on  the  jaw  of  one  of  his 
companions,  and  opened  the  mouth  of  him,  crying, 

^  Medicina  is  a  town  in  the  Bolognese  district.  Piero  was  a  fos- 
terer of  discord. 

2  Guido  del  Cassero  and  Angiolello  da  Cagnano,  treacherously 
drowned  by  order  of  the  one-eyed  Malatestino,  lord  of  Rimini. 

^  The  city  of  Hiniini,  which  Curio  would  wish  never  to  have 
seen. 

*  A  high  foreland  near  the  Cattolica,  between  Rimini  and  Fano, 
whence  often  fell  dangerous  squalls. 

^  He  to  whom  the  sight  of  Rimini  had  been  bitter. 


i 


CANTO  XXVIII.  155 

"  This  is  he,  and  he  speaks  not ;  this  outcast  stifled 
the  doubt  in  Caesar,  by  affirming  that  the  man  pre- 
pared always  suffered  harm  from  delay."  Oh,  how 
dismayed,  with  his  tongue  slit  in  his  gorge,  seemed 
to  me  Curio,^  who  in  speech  had  been  so  hardy ! 

And  one  who  had  both  hands  lopped  off,  lifting 
the  stumps  through  the  murky  air  so  that  the  blood 
made  his  face  foul,  cried  out,  "  Thou  shalt  remem- 
ber Mosca,^  too,  who  said,  alas !  '  Thing  done  has 
an  end,'  which  was  the  seed  of  ill  for  the  Tuscan 
people."  And  I  added  thereto,  "And  death  to 
thine  own  race."  Whereat  he,  accumulating  woe 
on  woe,  went  away  like  a  person  sad  and  dis- 
tracted. 

But  I  remained  to  look  at  the  crowd,  and  I  saw 
a  thing  that  I  should  be  afraid,  without  more  proof, 
only  to  tell,  were  it  not  that  conscience  reassures 
me,  the  good  companion  that  emboldens  man  un- 
der the  hauberk  of  feeling  himself  pure.     I  saw 

1  Curio  the  Tribune,  banished  from  Rome,  fled  to  Caesar  delay- 
ing to  cross  the  Rubicon,  and  urged  him  on,  mth  the  argument, 
according  to  Lucan,  "  Tolle  moras,  semper  nocuit  differre  paratis." 
Fhars.  i.  281. 

2  In  1215  one  of  the  Buondelmonti,  plighted  to  a  maiden  of  the 
'Amidei,  broke  faith,  and  engaged  himself  to  a  damsel  of  the  Do- 

nati.  The  family  of  the  girl  who  had  been  thus  slighted  took 
counsel  how  to  avenge  the  affront,  and  Mosca  de'  Lamberti  gave 
the  ill  advice  to  murder  the  young  Buondelmonte.  The  murder 
was  the  beginning  of  long  woe  to  Florence,  and  of  the  division 
of  her  people  into  Guelphs  and  Ghibellines. 


156  HELL. 

in  truth,  and  still  I  seem  to  see  it,  a  trunk  without 
a  head  going  along  even  as  the  others  of  the  dismal 
flock  were  going.  And  it  was  holding  the  cut-off 
head  by  its  hair,  dangling  in  hand  like  a  lantern. 
And  it  gazed  on  us,  and  said,  "  O  me !  "  Of  itself 
it  was  making  for  itself  a  lamp ;  and  they  were  two 
in  one,  and  one  in  two.  How  it  can  be  He  knows 
who  so  ordains.  When  it  was  right  at  the  foot  of 
the  bridge,  it  lifted  its  arm  high  with  the  whole 
head,  in  order  to  approach  its  words  to  us,  which 
were,  "  Now  see  the  dire  punishment,  thou  that, 
breathing,  goest  seeing  the  dead :  see  thou  if  any 
other  is  great  as  this !  And  that  thou  mayest  carry 
news  of  me,  know  that  I  am  Bertran  de  Born,^  he 
that  gave  to  the  young  king  the  ill  encouragements. 
I  made  father  and  son  rebellious  to  each  other. 
Ahithophel  did  not  more  with  Absalom  and  with 
David  by  his  wicked  goadings.  Because  I  divided 
persons  so  united,  I  bear  my  brain,  alas  !  divided 
from  its  source  which  is  in  this  trunk.  Thus  retal- 
iation is  observed  in  me." 

^  The  famous  troubadour  who  incited  the  young  Prince  Henry 
to  rebellion  against  his  father,  Henry  II.  of  England.  The  prince 
died  in  1183. 


CANTO  XXIX. 

Eighth  Circle  :  ninth  pit.  —  Geri  del  Bello.  —  Tenth  pit : 
falsifiers  of  all  sorts.  —  Griffolino  of  Arezzo.  —  Capocchio. 

The  many  people  and  the  diverse  wounds  had  so 
inebriated  mine  eyes  that  they  were  fain  to  stay 
for  weeping.  But  Virgil  said  to  me,  "  What  art 
thou  still  watching?  why  is  thy  sight  still  fixed 
down  there  among  the  dismal  mutilated  shades? 
Thou  hast  not  done  so  at  the  other  pits ;  consider 
if  thou  thinkest  to  count  them,  that  the  valley  cir- 
cles two  and  twenty  miles  ;  and  already  the  moon 
is  beneath  our  feet ;  the  time  is  little  now  that  is 
conceded  to  us,  and  other  things  are  to  be  seen 
than  thou  seest."  "If  thou  hadst,"  replied  I 
thereupon,  "attended  to  the  reason  why  I  was 
looking  perhaps  thou  wouldst  have  permitted  me 
yet  to  stay." 

Meanwhile  my  Leader  went  on,  and  I  behind 
him  went,  already  making  reply,  and  adding, 
"  Within  that  cavern  where  I  just  now  was  holding 
my  eyes  so  fixedly,  I  think  that  a  spirit  of  my 
own  blood  weeps  the  sin  that  down  there  costs  so 
dear."      Then    said   the    Master,    "  Let   not    thy 


158  HELL. 

thought  henceforth  reflect  on  him  ;  attend  to  other 
thing,  and  let  him  there  remain,  for  I  saw  him  at 
the  foot  of  the  little  bridge  pointing  at  thee,  and 
threatening  fiercely  with  his  finger,  and  I  heard 
him  called  Geri  del  Bello.^  Thou  wert  then  so 
completely  engaged  on  him  who  of  old  held  Haute- 
fort  ^  that  thou  didst  not  look  that  way  till  he  had 
departed."  "  O  my  Leader,"  said  I,  "  the  violent 
death  which  is  not  yet  avenged  for  him  by  any  who 
is  sharer  in  the  shame  made  him  indignant,  where- 
fore, as  I  deem,  he  went  on  without  speaking 
to  me,  and  thereby  has  he  made  me  pity  him  the 
more." 

Thus  we  spake  far  as  the  place  on  the  crag 
which  first  shows  the  next  valley,  if  more  light 
were  there,  quite  to  the  bottom.  When  we  were 
above  the  last  cloister  of  Malebolge  so  that  its  lay 
brothers  could  appear  to  our  sight,  divers  lamen- 
tations pierced  me,  that  had  their  arrows  barbed 
with  pity ;  wherefore  I  covered  my  ears  with  my 
hands. 

Such  pain  as  there  would  be  if,  between  July 
and  September,  from  the  hospitals  of  Valdichiana 
and  of  Maremma  and  of  Sardinia  ^  the  sick  should 

^  A  cousin  or  uncle  of  Dante's  father,  of  whom  little  is  known 
but  what  may  be  inferred  from  Dante's  words  and  from  the  place 
he  assigns  him  in  Hell. 

2  Bertran  de  Bom,  lord  of  Hautefort. 

^  Unhealthy  regions,  noted  for  the  prevalence  of  malarial  fevers 
in  summer. 


CANTO  XXIX.  159 

all  be  in  one  ditch  together,  such  was  there  here ; 
and  such  stench  came  forth  therefrom,  as  is  wont 
to  come  from  putrescent  limbs.  We  descended 
upon  the  last  bank  of  the  long  crag,  ever  to  the 
left  hand,  and  then  ray  sight  became  more  vivid 
down  toward  the  bottom,  where  the  ministress  of 
the  High  Lord  —  infallible  Justice  —  punishes  the 
falsifiers  whom  on  earth  she  registers. 

I  do  not  think*  it  was  a  greater  sorrow  to  see  the 
whole  people  in  Egina  sick,  when  the  air  was  so 
full  of  pestilence  that  the  animals,  even  to  the  little 
worm,  all  fell  dead  (and  afterwards  the  ancient 
people,  according  as  the  poets  hold  for  sure,  were 
restored  by  seed  of  ants),  than  it  was  to  see  the 
spirits  languishing  in  different  heaps  through  that 
dark  valley.  This  one  over  the  belly,  and  that  over 
the  shoulders  of  another  was  lying,  and  this  one, 
crawling,  was  shifting  himself  along  the  dismal  path. 
Step  by  step  we  went  without  speech,  looking  at  and 
listening  to  the  sick,  who  could  not  lift  their  persons. 

I  saw  two  seated  leaning  on  each  other,  as  pan 
is  leaned  against  pan  to  warm,  spotted  from  head 
to  foot  with  scabs ;  and  never  did  I  see  currycomb 
plied  by  a  boy  for  whom  his  lord  is  waiting  nor  by 
one  who  keeps  awake  unwillingly,  as  each  often 
plied  the  bite  of  his  nails  upon  himself,  because  of 
the  great  rage  of  his  itching  which  has  no  other 
relief.     And  the  nails  dragged  down  the  scab,  even 


160  HELL. 

as  a  knife  the  scales  of  bream  or  of  other  fish  that 
may  have  them  larger. 

"  O  thou,  that  with  thy  fingers  dost  dismail  thy- 
self," began  my  Leader  unto  one  of  them,  "and 
who  sometimes  makest  pincers  of  them,  tell  me  if 
any  Latian  ^  is  among  those  who  are  here  within : 
so  may  thy  nails  suffice  thee  eternally  for  this 
work."  "  Latians  are  we  whom  here  thou  seest 
so  defaced,  both  of  us,"  replied  one  weeping,  "  but 
thou,  who  art  thou  that  hast  asked  of  us  ?  "  And 
the  Leader  said,  "  I  am  one  that  descends  with  this 
living  man  down  from  ledge  to  ledge,  and  I  intend 
to  show  Hell  to  him."  Then  their  mutual  sup- 
port was  broken ;  and  trembling  each  turned  to 
me,  together  with  others  that  heard  him  by  re- 
bound. The  good  Master  inclined  himself  wholly 
toward  me,  saying,  "  Say  to  them  what  thou  wilt ;  " 
and  I  began,  since  he  was  willing,  "  So  may  mem- 
ory of  you  not  steal  away  in  the  first  world  from 
human  minds,  but  may  it  live  under  many  suns, 
tell  me  who  ye  are,  and  of  what  race  ;  let  not  your 
disfiguring  and  loathsome  punishment  fright  you 
from  disclosing  yourselves  unto  me."  "  I  was  from 
Arezzo,"  replied  one  of  them,^  "  and  Albero  of  Si- 
ena had  me  put  in  the  fire ;  but  that  for  which  I 
died  brings  me  not  here.     True  it  is  that  I  said  to 

^  Italian. 

'^  This  is  supposed  to  be  one  Griffolino,  of  whom  nothing  is 
known  bnt  what  Dante  tells. 


CANTO  XXIX.  161 

him,  speaking  in  jest,  I  knew  how  to  raise  myself 
through  the  air  in  flight,  and  he,  who  had  vain  de- 
sire and  little  wit,  wished  that  I  should  show  him 
the  art,  and  only  because  I  did  not  make  him 
Daedalus,  made  me  be  burned  by  one  ^  that  held 
him  as  a  son  ;  but  to  the  last  pit  of  the  ten,  foi 
the  alchemy  that  I  practiced  in  the  world,  Minos, 
to  whom  it  is  not  allowed  to  err,  condemned  me." 
And  I  said  to  the  Poet,  "  Now  was  ever  people  so 
vain  as  the  Sienese  ?  surely  not  so  the  French  by 
much."  Whereon  the  other  leprous  one,  who  heard 
me,  replied  to  my  words,  "  Except  ^  Stricca  who 
knew  how  to  make  moderate  expenditure,  and  Nic- 
colb,  who  first  invented  the  costly  custom  of  the 
clove  ^  in  the  garden  where  such  seed  takes  root ; 
and  except  the  brigade  in  which  Caccia  of  Asciano 
wasted  his  vineyard  and  his  great  wood,  and  the 
Abbagliato  showed  his  wit.  But  that  thou  mayest 
know  who  thus  seconds  thee  against  the  Sienese, 
so  sharpen  thine  eye  toward  me  that  my  face  may 
answer  well  to  thee,  so  shalt  thou  see  that  I  am  the 
shade  of  Capocchio,  who  falsified  the  metals  by 
alchemy;  and  thou  shoxddst  recollect,  if  I  descry 
thee  aright,  how  I  was  a  good  ape  of  nature." 

^  The  Bishop  of  Siena. 

2  Ironical ;  these  youths  all  being  members  of  the  company 
known  as  the  brigata  godereccia  or  spendereccia,  the  joyous  or 
spendthrift  brigade. 

'  The  use  of  rich  and  expensive  spices  in  cookery. 


CANTO  XXX. 

Eighth  Circle  :  tenth  pit :  falsifiers  of  all  sorts.  —  Myrrha. 
=—  Gianni  Schicchi.  —  Master  Adam.  —  Siuon  of  Troy. 

At  the  time  when  Juno  was  wroth  because  of 
Semele  against  the  Theban  blood,  as  she  showed 
more  than  once,  Athamas  became  so  insane,  that 
seeing  his  wife  come  laden  on  either  hand  with  her 
two  sons,  cried  out,  "  Spread  we  the  nets,  so  that  I 
may  take  the  lioness  and  the  young  lions  at  the 
pass,"  and  then  he  stretched  out  his  pitiless  talons, 
taking  the  one  who  was  named  Learchus,  and 
whirled  him  and  struck  him  on  a  rock ;  and  she 
drowned  herself  with  her  other  burden.  And  when 
Fortune  turned  downward  the  all-daring  loftiness 
of  the  Trojans,  so  that  together  with  the  kingdom 
the  king  was  undone,  Hecuba,  sad,  wretched,  and 
captive,  when  she  saw  Polyxena  dead,  and  woe- 
ful descried  her  Polydorus  on  the  sea-bank,  frantic, 
barked  like  a  dog,  —  to  such  degree  had  grief  dis- 
traught her  mind. 

But  neither  the  furies  of  Thebes,  nor  the  Tro- 
jan, were    ever   seen   toward    any  one    so    cruel, 


CANTO  XXX.  163 

whether  in  goading  beasts  or  human  llrabs,^  as  I 
saw  two  shades  pallid  and  naked  who,  biting,  were 
running  in  the  way  that  a  boar  does  when  from 
the  sty  he  breaks  loose.  One  came  at  Capocchio, 
and  on  the  nape  of  his  neck  struck  his  teeth,  so 
that  dragging  him  he  made  his  belly  scratch  along 
the  solid  bottom.  And  the  Aretine,^  who  re- 
mained trembling,  said  to  me,  "  That  goblin  is 
Gianni  Schicchi,  and  rabid  he  goes  thus  mal- 
treating others."  "  Oh,"  said  I  to  him,  "  so  may 
the  other  not  fix  his  teeth  on  thee,  let  it  not  weary 
thee  to  tell  who  it  is  ere  it  start  hence."  And  he 
to  me,  "  That  is  the  ancient  soul  of  profligate 
Myrrha,  who  became  her  father's  lover  beyond 
rightful  love.  She  came  to  sinning  with  him  by 
falsifying  herself  in  another's  form,  even  as  the 
other,  who  goes  off  there,  undei-took,  in  order  to 
gain  the  lady  of  the  herd,^  to  counterfeit  Buoso 
Donati,  making  a  will  and  giving  to  the  will  due 
form." 

And  after  the  two  rabid  ones  upon  whom  I  had 

^  No  mad  rages  were  ever  so  merciless  as  those  of  these  furious 
spirits. 

2  Griffolino. 

^  Buoso  Donati  had  died  without  makiug  a  will,  whereupon  his 
nephew  suborned  Gianni  Schicchi  to  personate  the  dead  man  in 
bed,  and  to  dictate  a  will  in  his  favor.  This  Gianni  did,  but  with 
a  clause  leaving  to  himself  a  favorite  mare  of  Buoso' s,  the  best  in 
all  Tuscany. 


164  HELL. 

kept  my  eye  had  disappeared,  I  turned  it  to  look 
at  the  other  miscreants.  I  saw  one  made  in  fashion 
of  a  hite,  had  he  but  only  had  his  groin  cut  off  at 
the  part  where  man  is  forked.  The  heavy  hy- 
dropsy which,  with  the  humor  that  it  ill  digests,  so 
unmates  the  members  that  the  face  corresponds  not 
with  the  belly,  was  making  him  hold  his  lips  open 
as  the  hectic  does,  who  for  thirst  turns  one  toward 
his  chin,  the  other  upward. 

"  Oh  ye,  who  are  without  any  punishment,  and  I 
know  not  why,  in  the  dismal  world,"  said  he  to 
us,  "  look  and  attend  to  the  misery  of  Master 
Adam.  Living,  I  had  enough  of  what  I  wished, 
and  now,  alas !  I  long  for  a  drop  of  water.  The 
rivulets  that  from  the  green  hills  of  the  Casentino 
descend  into  the  Arno,  making  their  channels  cool 
and  soft,  stand  ever  before  me,  and  not  in  vain  ;  for 
their  image  dries  me  up  far  more  than  the  disease 
which  strips  my  face  of  flesh.  The  rigid  justice 
that  scourges  me  draws  occasion  from  the  place 
where  I  sinned  to  put  my  sighs  the  more  in  flight. 
There  is  Komena,  where  I  falsified  the  alloy  stamped 
with  the  Baptist,^  for  which  on  earth  I  left  my 
body  burned.  But  if  here  I  could  see  the  wretched 
soul  of  Guido  or  of  Alessandro,  or  of  their  brother,^ 

^  The  florin  'which  bore  on  the  obverse  the  figure  of  John  the 
Baptist,  the  protecting  saint  of  Florence. 
^  Counts  of  Romena. 


CANTO  XXX.  165 

for  Fount  Branda^  I  would  not  give  the  sight. 
One  of  them  is  here  within  already,  if  the  raging 
shades  who  go  around  speak  true.  But  what  does 
it  avail  me  who  have  my  limbs  bound  ?  If  I  were 
only  yet  so  light  that  in  a  hundred  years  I  could  go 
an  inch,  I  should  already  have  set  out  along  the 
path,  seeking  for  him  among  this  disfigured  folk, 
although  it  circles  round  eleven  miles,  and  is  not 
less  than  half  a  mile  across.  Because  of  them 
I  am  among  such  a  family ;  they  induced  me  to 
strike  the  florins  that  had  full  three  carats  of  base 
metal."  And  I  to  him,  "  Who  are  the  two  poor 
wretches  that  are  smoking  like  a  wet  hand  in 
winter,  lying  close  to  your  confines  on  the  right  ?  " 
"  Here  I  found  them,"  he  answered,  "  when  I 
rained  down  into  this  trough,  and  they  have  not 
since  given  a  turn,  and  I  do  not  believe  they  will 
give  one  to  all  eternity.  One  is  the  false  woman 
that  accused  Joseph,  the  other  is  the  false  Sinon 
the  Greek,  from  Troy ;  because  of  their  sharp  fever 
they  throw  out  such  great  reek." 

And  one  of  them  who  took  it  ill  perchance  at 
being  named  so  darkly,  with  his  fist  struck  him  on 
his  stiff  paunch  ;  it  sounded  as  if  it  were  a  drum  ; 
and  Master  Adam  struck  him  on  the  face  with  his 
arm  that  did  not  seem  less  hard,  saying  to  him, 
"  Though,    because    of   my   heavy   limbs,   moving 

^  The  noted  fountain  in  Siena,  or  perhaps  one  in  Romena. 


166  HELL. 

hence  be  taken  from  me,  I  have  an  arm  free  for 
such  need."  Whereon  he  replied,  "  When  thou 
wast  going  to  the  fire  thou  hadst  it  not  thus  ready, 
but  so  and  more  thou  hadst  it  when  thou  wast 
coining."  And  the  hydropic,  "  Thou  sayst  true  in 
this,  but  thou  wast  not  so  true  a  witness  there 
where  thou  wast  questioned  of  the  truth  at  Troy." 
"  If  I  spake  false,  thou  didst  falsify  the  coin,"  said 
Sinon,  "  and  I  am  here  for  a  single  sin,  and  thou 
for  more  than  any  other  demon."  "  Remember, 
perjured  one,  the  horse,"  answered  he  who  had  the 
puffed  up  paunch,  "  and  be  it  ill  for  thee  that  the 
whole  world  knows  it."  "  And  be  ill  for  thee  the 
thirst  which  cracks  thy  tongue,"  said  the  Greek, 
"  and  the  putrid  water  that  makes  thy  belly  thus  a 
hedge  before  thine  eyes."  Then  the  coiner,  "  So 
yawns  thy  mouth  for  its  own  harm  as  it  is  wont, 
for  if  I  am  thirsty,  and  humor  stuffs  me  out,  thou 
hast  the  burning,  and  the  head  that  pains  thee, 
and  to  lick  the  mirror  of  Narcissus  thou  wouldst 
not  want  many  words  of  invitation." 

To  listen  to  them  was  I  wholly  fixed,  when  the 
Master  said  to  me,  "Now  then  look,  for  it  wants 
but  little  that  I  quarrel  with  thee."  When  I  heard 
him  speak  to  me  with  anger,  I  turned  me  toward 
him  with  such  shame  that  still  it  circles  through 
my  memory.  And  as  is  he  that  dreams  of  his 
harm,  and,  dreaming,  desires  to   dream,  so  that 


CANTO  XXX.  167 

that  which  is  he  craves  as  if  it  were  not,  such  I 
became,  not  being  able  to  speak,  for  I  desired  to 
excuse  myself,  and  I  was  indeed  excusing  myself, 
and  did  not  think  that  I  was  doing  it.  "  Less  shame 
doth  wash  away  a  greater  fault  than  thine  hath 
been,"  said  the  Master ;  "  therefore  disburden  thy- 
self of  all  regret,  and  make  reckoning  that  I  am 
always.at  thy  side,  if  again  it  happen  that  fortune 
find  thee  where  people  are  in  similar  brawl;  for 
the  wish- to  hear  it  is  a  base  v/ish." 


CANTO  XXXI. 

The  Giants  around  the  Eighth  Circle.  —  Nirarod.  —  Ephi- 
altes.  —  Antaeus  sets  the  Poets  down  in  the  Ninth  Circle. 

One  and  the  same  tongue  first  stung  me,  so  that 
it  tinged  both  my  cheeks,  and  then  supplied  the 
medicine  to  me.  Thus  do  I  hear  ^  that  the  lance  of 
Achilles  and  of  his  father  was  wont  to  be  cause 
first  of  a  sad  and  then  of  a  good  gift. 

We  turned  our  back  to  the  wretched  valley ,2  up 
along  the  bank  that  girds  it  round,  crossing  with- 
out any  speech.  Here  it  was  less  than  night  and 
less  than  day,  so  that  my  sight  went  little  for- 
ward ;  but  I  heard  a  horn  sounding  so  loud  that  it 
would  have  made  every  thunder  faint,  which  di- 
rected my  eyes,  following  its  course  coimter  to  it,^ 
wholly  to  one  place. 

^  Probably  from  Ovid,  who  more  than  once  refers  to  the  magic 
power  of  the  spear  which  had  been  given  to  Peleus  by  Chiron. 
Shakespeare  too  had  heard  of  it,  and  applies  it,  precisely  as  Dante 
does,  to  one 

Whose  emfle  and  frown,  like  to  Achilles'  spear, 

Is  able  with  the  charge  to  kill  and  cure. 

2  Henry  VI.  v.  I. 
2  The  tenth  and  last  pit. 
8  My  eyes  went  in  the  dii-ection  whence  the  sound  came. 


CANTO  XXXI.  169 

After  the  dolorous  rout  when  Charlemagne  lost 
the  holy  gest,  Roland  sounded  not  so  terribly. ^ 
Shortwhile  did  I  carry  my  head  turned  thitherward, 
when  it  seemed  to  me  I  saw  many  high  towers ; 
whereon  I,  "  Master,  say,  what  city  is  this  ?  "  And 
he  to  me,  "Because  too  far  away  thou  peerest 
through  the  darkness,  it  happens  that  thou  dost  err 
in  thy  imagining.  Thou  shalt  see  well,  if  thou 
arrivest  there,  how  much  the  sense  at  distance  is 
deceived;  therefore  somewhat  more  spur  thyself 
on."  Then  tenderly  he  took  me  by  the  hand,  and 
said,  "  Before  we  go  further  forward,  in  order  that 
the  fact  may  seem  less  strange  to  thee,  know  that 
they  are  not  towers,  but  giants,  and  they  are  in  the 
abyss  ^  round  about  the  bank,  from  the  navel  down- 
ward, one  and  all  of  them." 

As  when  the  mist  is  dissipating,  the  look  little 
by  little  shapes  out  what  the  vapor  that  thickens 
the  air  conceals,  so,  as  I  pierced  the  gross  and  dark 
air  as  we  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  verge,  error 
fled  from  me  and  fear  grew  upon  me.    For  as  above 

^  At  Roncesvalles. 

Rollanz  ad  mis  I'olifan  4  sa  buche, 
Kmpeint  le  bien,  par  grant  vertut  le  sunet. 
Halt  sunt  li  pui  e  la  roiz  est  mult  lunge, 
Oranz  xxx.  liwes  I'oirent-il  respundre, 
Carles  I'oit  e  ses  cumpaignes  tutes. 

Chanson  de  Roland,  1753-57. 

^  The  central  deep  of  Hell,  dividing  the  eighth  circle  £rom  the 
ninth,  —  the  lowest. 


170  HELL. 

its  circular  enclosure  Montereggione  ^  crowns  itself 
with  towers,  so  with  half  their  body  the  horrible 
giants,  whom  Jove  still  threatens  from  heaven  when 
he  thunders,  betowered  the  bank  that  surrounds 
the  abyss. 

And  I  discerned  now  the  face  of  one,  his  shoul- 
ders, and  his  breast,  and  great  part  of  his  belly, 
and  down  along  his  sides  both  his  arms.  Nature, 
surely,  when  she  left  the  art  of  such  like  creatures, 
did  exceeding  well  in  taking  such  executers  from 
Mars ;  and  if  she  repent  not  of  elephants  and  of 
whales,  he  who  looks  subtly  holds  her  more  just 
and  more  discreet  therefor  ;  ^  for  where  the  faculty 
of  the  mind  is  added  to  evil  will  and  to  power,  the 
human  race  can  make  no  defense  against  it.  His 
face  seemed  to  me  long  and  huge  as  the  pine-cone  ^ 
of  St.  Peter  at  Rome,  and  in  its  proportion  were 
his  other  bones ;  so  that  the  bank,  which  was  an 
apron  from  his  middle  downward,  showed  of  him 
fully  so  much  above,  that  to  reach  to  his  hair  three 
Frieslanders  *  would  have  made  ill  vaunt.     For  I 

^  The  towers  of  Montereg^one  in  ruin  still  crown  its  broken 
wall,  and  may  be  seen  from  the  railroad  not  far  from  Siena,  on 
iihe  way  to  Florence. 

^  For  no  longer  creating  giants. 

^  Of  bronze,  that  came  from  the  Mansolenm  of  Hadrian,  and 
in  Dante's  time  stood  in  the  fore-coort  of  St  Peter's,  and  is  now 
in  the  Vatican  gardens. 

*  Supposed  to  be  tall  men. 


CANTO  JtXXL  171 

saw  of  him  thirty  great  palms  down  from  the  place 
where  one  buckles  his  cloak. 

"  Raphel  mai  amech  zabi  alm%^^  the  fierce  mouth, 
to  which  sweeter  psalms  were  not  befitting,  began 
to  cry.  And  my  Leader  toward  him,  "  Foolish 
soul !  Keep  to  thy  horn,  and  with  that  vent  thy- 
self when  anger  or  other  passion  touches  thee ; 
seek  at  thy  neck,  and  thou  wilt  find  the  cord  that 
holds  it  tied,  O  soul  confused!  and  see  it  lying 
athwart  thy  great  breast."  Then  he  said  to  me, 
*'  He  himself  accuses  himself ;  this  is  Nimrod,  be- 
cause of  whose  evil  thought  the  world  uses  not  one 
language  only.  Let  us  leave  him,  and  let  us  not 
speak  in  vain,  for  so  is  every  language  to  him,  as 
his  to  others,  which  to  no  one  is  known." 

Tlien  turning  to  the  left,  we  pursued  our  way, 
and  at  a  crossbow's  shot  we  found  the  next,  far 
more  fierce  and  larger.  Who  the  master  was  for 
binding  him  I  cannot  tell ;  but  he  had  his  right  arm 
fastened  behind,  and  the  other  in  front,  by  a  chain 
that  held  him  entwined  from  the  neck  downward, 
so  that  upon  his  uncovered  part  it  was  wound  as 
far  as  the  fifth  coil.  "  This  proud  one  wished  to 
make  trial  of  his  power  against  the  supreme  Jove," 
said  my  Leader,  "  wherefore  he  has  such  reward ; 
Ephialtes  ^  is  his  name,  and  he  made  his  great  en- 

*  Iphimedeia  bore  to  Poseidon  two  sons,  "  but  they  were  short- 
lived, godlike  Otos  and  far-famed  Ephialtes  whom  the  fmitful 


172  BELL. 

deavors  when  the  giants  made  the  Gods  afraid; 
the  arms  which  he  plied  he  moves  nevermore." 

And  I  to  him,  "  If  it  may  be,  I  should  like  my 
eyes  to  have  experience  of  the  huge  Briareus."  ^ 
Whereon  he  answered,  "  Thou  shalt  see  Antaeus 
close  at  hand  here,  who  speaks,  and  is  unbound,^ 
and  will  set  us  at  the  bottom  of  all  sin.  Him 
whom  thou  wishest  to  see  is  much  farther  on,  and 
is  bound  and  fashioned  like  this  one,  save  that  he 
seems  more  ferocious  in  his  look." 

Never  was  earthquake  so  mighty  that  it  shook  a 
tower  as  violently  as  Ephialtes  was  quick  to  shake 
himself.  Then  more  than  ever  did  I  fear  death; 
and  there  had  been  no  need  of  more  than  the  fright, 
if  I  had  not  seen  his  bonds. 

We  then  proceeded  further  forward,  and  came 
to  Antaeus,  who  full  five  ells,  besides  his  head, 
issued  forth  from  the  cavern.     "  O  thou  that,  in 

Earth  nourished  to  be  the  tallest  and  much  the  most  beautiful  of 
mortals  except  renowned  Orion,  for  at  nine  years  old  they  were 
nine  cubits  in  breadth,  and  nine  fathoms  tall.  They  even  threat- 
ened the  immortals,  raising  the  din  of  tumultuous  war  on  Olym- 
pus, and  strove  to  set  Ossa  upon  Olympus  and  wood-clad  Pelion 
upon  Ossa,  in  order  to  scale  heaven.  But  Jove  destroyed  them 
both."     Odyssey,  xi.  306-317. 

^  "  Him  of  the  himdred  hands  whom  the  Gods  call  Briareus." 
Iliad,  i.  402. 

^  Because  he  took  no  part  in  the  war  of  his  brethren  against 
the  Gods.  What  Dante  tells  of  him  is  derived  from  Lucan, 
Pharsalia,  iv.  597  sqq. 


CANTO  XXXI.  173 

the  fateful  valley  which  made  Scipio  the  heir  of 
glory  when  Hannibal  and  his  followers  turned  their 
backs,  didst  bring  of  old  a  thousand  lions  for  booty, 
—  and  it  still  seems  credible  that  hadst  thou  been 
at  the  high  war  of  thy  brothers,  the  sons  of  the 
Earth  would  have  conquered,  —  set  us  below,  and 
disdain  thou  not  to  do  so,  where  the  cold  locks  up 
Cocytus.  Make  us  not  go  to  Tityus,  nor  to  Ty- 
phon ;  1  this  one  can  give  of  that  which  here  is 
longed  for; 2  therefore  stoop,  and  curl  not  thy 
snout.  He  yet  can  restore  fame  to  thee  in  the 
world  ;  for  he  is  living,  and  still  expects  long  life, 
if  Grace  doth  not  untimely  call  him  to  itself." 
Thus  said  the  Master;  and  he  in  haste  stretched 
out  those  hands,  whose  strong  grip  Hercules  once 
felt,  and  took  my  Leader.  Virgil,  when  he  felt 
himself  taken  up,  said  to  me,  "  Come  hither  so 
that  I  take  thee."  Then  he  made  one  bundle  of 
himself  and  me.  As  beneath  its  leaning  side,  the 
Carisenda^  seems  to  look  when  a  cloud  is  going 

^  Lncan  (Phars.  iv.  600),  naming  these  giants,  says  they  were 
less  strong  than  Antaeus;  wherefore  there  is  subtle  flattery  in 
these  words  of  Virgil. 

^  To  be  remembered  on  earth. 

^  The  more  inclined  of  the  two  famous  leaning  towers  at  Bo- 
logna. As  the  cloud  goes  over  it,  the  tower  seems  to  bend  to 
meet  it.     So  Coleridge  in  his  Ode  to  Dejection  : 

And  those  thin  clouds  above,  in  flakes  and  bars, 
That  give  away  their  motion  to  the  stars. 


174  HELL. 

over  so  that  the  tower  hangs  counter  to  it,  thus 
seemed  Antaeus  to  me  that  stood  attent  to  see  him 
bend ;  and  it  was  a  moment  when  I  could  have 
wished  to  go  by  another  road.  But  lightly  on  the 
bottom  that  swallows  Lucifer  with  Judas  he  set 
us  down  ;  nor,  thus  bent,  did  he  there  make  stay, 
and  like  a  mast  in  a  ship  he  raised  himself  o 


CANTO  XXXII. 

Ninth  Circle  :  traitors.  First  ring  :  Caina.  —  Counts  of 
Mangona.  —  Camicion  de'  Pazzi.  —  Second  ring  :  Antenora. 
—  Bocca  degli  Abati.  —  Buoso  da  Duera.  —  Count  Ugolino. 

If  I  had  rhymes  both  harsh  and  raucous,  such 
as  would  befit  the  dismal  hole  on  which  thrust  ^ 
all  the  other  rocks,  I  would  press  out  the  juice  of 
my  conception  more  fully ;  but  since  I  have  them 
not,  not  without  fear  I  bring  myself  to  speak ;  for 
to  describe  the  bottom  of  the  whole  universe  is  no 
enterprise  to  take  up  in  jest,  nor  for  a  tongue  that 
cries  mamma  or  babbo.  But  may  those  Dames  aid 
my  verse  who  aided  Amphion  to  close  in  Thebes ; 
so  that  from  the  fact  the  speech  be  not  diverse. 

O  populace  miscreant  above  all,  that  art  in  the 
place  whereof  to  speak  is  hard,  better  had  ye  been 
here  ^  or  sheep  or  goats ! 

When  we  were  down  in  the  dark  abyss  beneath 
the  feet  of  the  giant,  but  far  lower,  and  I  was 
gazing  still  at  the  high  wall,  I  heard  say  to  me, 
"  Beware  how  thou  steppest ;  take  heed  thou  tram- 

^  Rest  their -weight.  '  On.  earth. 


176  HELL. 

pie  not  with  thy  soles  the  heads  of  the  wretched 
weary  bretljren."  Whereat  I  turned,  and  saw  be- 
fore me,  and  under  my  feet,  a  lake  which  through 
frost  had  semblance  of  glass  and  not  of  water. 

The  Danube  in  Austria  makes  not  for  its  cur- 
rent so  thick  a  veil  in  winter,  nor  the  Don  yon- 
der under  the  cold  sky,  as  there  was  here ;  for 
if  Tambernich  ^  had  fallen  thereupon,  or  Pietra- 
pana,2  it  would  not  even  at  the  edge  have  given  a 
creak.  And  as  to  croak  the  frog  lies  with  muzzle 
out  of  the  water,  what  time  ^  oft  dreams  the  peas- 
ant girl  of  gleaning,  so,  livid  up  to  where  shame 
appears,*  were  the  woeful  shades  within  the  ice, 
setting  their  teeth  to  the  note  of  the  stork.^  Every 
one  held  his  face  turned  downward  ;  from  the 
mouth  the  cold,  and  from  the  eyes  the  sad  heart 
compels  witness  of  itself  among  them. 

When  I  had  looked  round  awhile,  I  turned  to 
my  feet,  and  saw  two  so  close  that  they  had  the 
hair  of  their  heads  mixed  together.  "  Tell  me,  ye 
who  so  press  tight  your  breasts,"  said  I,  "  who  are 
ye  ?  "  And  they  bent  their  necks,  and  after  they 
had  raised  their  faces  to  me,  their  eyes,  which  be- 
fore were  moist  only  within,  gushed  up  through  the 

^  A  mountain,  the  locality  of  which  is  unknown. 

2  One  of  the  Tuscan  Apennines. 

'  In  summer. 

*  Up  to  the  face. 

'  Chattering  with  cold. 


CANTO  XXXII.  177 

lids,  and  the  frost  bound  the  tears  between  them, 
and  locked  them  up  again.  Clamp  never  girt  board 
to  board  so  strongly ;  wherefore  they  like  two  he- 
goats  butted  together,  such  anger  overcame  them. 

And  one  who  had  lost  both  his  ears  through  the 
cold,  still  with  his  face  downward,  said  to  me, 
"  Why  dost  thou  so  mirror  thyself  on  us  ?  If  thou 
wouldst  know  who  are  these  two,  the  valley  whence 
the  Biienzio  descends  belonged  to  their  father 
Albert,  and  to  them.^  From  one  body  they  issued, 
and  all  Caina^  thou  mayst  search,  and  thou  wilt 
not  find  shade  more  worthy  to  be  fixed  in  ice ;  not 
he  whose  breast  and  shadow  were  broken  by  one 
and  the  same  blow  by  the  hand  of  Arthur ;  ^  not 
Focaccia;*  not  he  who  encumbers  me  with  his 
head,  so  that  I  cannot  see  beyond,  and  was  named 
Sassol  Mascheroni :  ^  if  thou  art  Tuscan,  well 
knowest  thou  now  who  he  was.  And  that  thou 
mayst  not  put  me  to  more  speech,  know  that  I  was 
Camicion  de'  Pazzi,^  and  I  await  Carlino  that  ±iA 
may  exonerate  me." 

^  They  were  of  the  Alberti,  counts  of  Mangona,  iu  Tuscany, 
and  had  killed  each  other. 

2  The  first  division  of  this  ninth  and  lowest  circle  of  Hell. 

*  Mordred,  the  traitorous  son  of  Arthur. 

*  From  the  crimes  of  Focaccia,  a  member  of  the  great  Cancel- 
lien  family  of  Pistoia,  began  the  feud  of  the  Black  and  the  Whito 
factions,  which  long  raged  in  Pistoia  and  in  Florence. 

^  A  Florentine  who  murdered  his  nephew  for  an  inheritance- 
^  A  mnrderer  of  one  of  his  kinsmen,  whose  crime  was  surpassed 


178  HELL. 

Then  I  saw  a  thousand  faces  made  currish  by 
the  cold,  whence  shuddering  conies  to  me,  and  will 
always  come,  at  frozen  pools. 

And  while  we  were  going  toward  the  centre  ^  to 
which  tends  every  weight,  and  I  was  trembling  in 
the  eternal  shade,  whether  it  was  will,  or  destiny, 
or  fortune  I  know  not,  but,  walking  among  the 
heads,  I  struck  my  foot  hard  in  the  face  of  one. 
Wailing  he  cried  out  to  me,  "  Why  dost  thou 
trample  me  ?  If  thou  comest  not  to  increase  the 
vengeance  of  Mont'  Aperti,  why  dost  thou  molest 
me  ? "  And  I,  "  My  Master,  now  wait  here  for 
me,  so  that  I  may  free  me  from  a  doubt  by  means 
of  this  one,  then  thou  shalt  make  me  hasten  as 
much  as  thou  wilt."  The  Leader  stopped,  and  I 
said  to  that  shade  who  was  bitterly  blaspheming 
still,  "  Who  art  thou  that  thus  railest  at  another  ?  " 
"  Now  thou,  who  art  thou,  that  goest  through  the 
Antenora,"  ^  he  answered,  "  smiting  the  cheeks  of 
others,  so  that  if  thou  wert  alive,  it  would  be  too 
much?"  "Alive  I  am,  and  it  may  be  dear  to 
thee,"  was  my  reply,  "if  thou  demandest  fame, 

by  that  of  Carlino  de'  Pazzi,  who,  in  1302,  betrayed  a  band  of  the 
Florentine  exiles  who  had  taken  refuge  in  a  stronghold  of  his  in 
Valdamo. 

1  The  centre  of  the  earth. 

^  The  second  division  of  the  ninth  circle ;  so  named  after  the 
Trojan  who,  though  of  good  repute  ia  Homer,  was  charged  by  a 
later  tradition  with  having  betrayed  Troy. 


CANTO  XXXII.  179 

that  I  should  set  thy  name  amid  the  other  notes." 
And  he  to  me,  "  For  the  contrary  do  I  long  ;  take 
thyself  hence,  and  give  me  no  more  trouble,  for 
ill  thou  knowest  to  flatter  on  this  plain."  Then 
I  took  him  by  the  hair  of  the  crown,  and  said, 
"  It  shall  needs  be  that  thou  name  thyself,  or  that 
not  a  hair  remain  upon  thee  here."  Whereon  he 
to  me,  "  Though  thou  strip  me  of  hair,  I  will  not 
tell  thee  who  I  am,  nor  will  I  show  it  to  thee  if  a 
thousand  times  thou  fallest  on  my  head." 

I  already  had  his  hair  twisted  in  my  hand,  and 
had  pulled  out  more  than  one  shock,  he  barking, 
with  his  eyes  kept  close  down,  when  another  cried 
out,  "  What  ails  thee,  Bocca  ?  ^  Is  it  not  enough 
for  thee  to  make  music  with  thy  jaws,  but  thou 
must  bark  ?  What  devil  has  hold  of  thee  ? " 
"  Now,"  said  I,  "  I  woidd  not  have  thee  speak, 
accursed  traitor,  for  to  thy  shame  will  I  carry  true 
news  of  thee."  "  Begone,"  he  answered,  "  and 
relate  what  thou  wilt,  but  be  not  silent,  if  from 
here  within  thou  goest  forth,  of  him  who  now  had 
his  tongue  so  ready.  He  weeps  here  the  money  of 
the  French  ;  I  saw,  thou  canst  say,  him  of  Duera,^ 

1  Bocca  degli  Abati,  the  most  tioted  of  Florentine  traitors,  who 
in  the  heat  of  the  battle  of  Mont'  Aperti,  in  1260,  cut  off  the  hand 
of  the  standard-bearer  of  the  cavalry,  so  that  the  standard  fell, 
and  the  Guelphs  of  Florence,  disheartened  thereby,  were  put  to 
rout  with  frightful  slaughter. 

^  Buoso  da  Duera  of  Cremona,  who,  for  a  bribe,  let  pass  near 


180  HELL. 

there  where  the  sinners  stand  cooling.  Shouldst 
thou  be  asked  who  else  was  there,  thou  hast  at  thy 
side  that  Beccheria  ^  whose  gorget  Florence  cut. 
Gianni  del  Soldanier  ^  I  think  is  farther  on  with 
Ganellon  ^  and  Tribaldello,^  who  opened  Faenza 
when  it  was  sleeping." 

We  had  now  parted  from  him  when  I  saw  two 
frozen  in  one  hole,  so  that  the  head  of  one  was  a 
hood  for  the  other.  And  as  bread  is  devoured  in 
hunger,  so  the  uppermost  one  set  his  teeth  upon 
the  other  where  the  brain  joins  with  the  nape. 
Not  otherwise  Tydeus  gnawed  for  spite  the  temples 
of  Menalippus  than  this  one  did  the  skull  and  the 
other  parts.  "  O  thou !  that  by  so  bestial  a  sign 
showest  hatred  against  him  whom  thou  dost  eat,  tell 
me  the  wherefore,"  said  I,  "  with  this  compact,  that 
if  thou  rightfully  of  him  complainest,  I,  knowing 
who  ye  are,  and  his  sin,  may  yet  recompense  thee 
for  it  in  the  world  above,  if  that  with  which  I 
speak  be  not  dried  up." 

Parma,  'without  resistance,  the  cavalry  of  Charles  of  Anjou,  led 
by  Gui  de  Montfort  to  the  conquest  of  Naples  in  1265. 

1  Tesauro  de'  Beccheria,  Abbot  of  Vallombrosa,  and  Papal  Le- 
gate, beheaded  by  the  Florentines  in  1258,  because  of  his  treach- 
erous dealings  with  the  exiled  Ghibellines. 

^  A  Ghibelline  leader,  who,  after  the  defeat  of  Manfred  in  1266, 
plotted  against  his  own  party. 

^  Ganellon,  the  traitor  who  brought  about  the  defeat  at  Ronces- 
valles. 

*  He  betrayed  Faeoza  to  the  Fienoh,  in  1282. 


CANTO  XXXIII. 

Ninth  circle  :  traitors.  Second  ring  :  Antenora.  —  Count 
Ugolino.  —  Third  ring  :  Ptolomaja.  —  Brother  Alberigo. 
Branca  d'  Oria. 

From  his  savage  repast  that  sinner  raised  his 
mouth,  wiping  it  with  the  hair  of  the  head  that  he 
had  spoiled  behind :  then  he  began,  "  Thou  wiliest 
that  I  renew  a  desperate  grief  that  oppresses  my 
heart  already  only  in  thinking  ere  I  speak  of  it. 
But,  if  my  words  are  to  be  seed  that  may  bear 
fruit  of  infamy  for  the  traitor  whom  I  gnaw,  thou 
shalt  see  me  speak  and  weep  at  once.  I  know  not 
who  thou  art,  nor  by  what  mode  thou  art  come 
down  hither,  but  Florentine  thou  seemest  to  me 
truly  when  I  hear  thee.  Thou  hast  to  know  that 
I  was  the  Count  Ugolino  and  he  the  Archbishop 
Ruggieri.^     Now  will  I  tell  thee  why  I  am  such  a 

1  In  July,  1288,  Ugolino  della  Gherardesca,  Count  of  Donora- 
tico,  head  of  a  faction  of  the  Guelphs  in  Pisa,  in  order  to  deprive 
Nino  of  Gallura,  head  of  the  opposing  faction,  of  the  lordship  of 
the  city,  treacherously  joined  forces  with  the  Archbishop  Ruggieri 
degli  Ubaldini,  head  of  the  Ghibellines,  and  drove  Nino  and  his 
followers  from  the  city.  The  archbishop  thereupon  took  advan« 
tage  of  the  weakening  of  the  Guelphs  and  excited  the  populace 
a^^ainst  Ugolino,  charging  him  with  having  for  a  bribe  restored 


182  HELL. 

neighbor.  That  by  the  effect  of  his  evil  thoughts, 
I,  trusting  to  him,  was  taken  and  then  put  to  death, 
there  is  no  need  to  teU.  But  that  which  thou  canst 
not  have  heard,  namely,  how  cruel  was  my  death, 
thou  shalt  hear,  and  shalt  know  if  he  hath  wronged 
me. 

"  A  narrow  slit  in  the  mew,  which  from  me  has 
the  name  of  Famine,  and  in  which  others  yet 
must  be  shut  up,  had  already  shown  me  through  its 
opening  many  moons,  when  I  had  the  bad  dream 
that  rent  for  me  the  veil  of  the  future. 

"This  one  appeared  to  me  master  and  lord, 
chasing  the  wolf  and  his  whelps  upon  the  moun- 
tain ^  for  which  the  Pisans  cannot  see  Lucca. 
With  lean,  eager,  and  trained  hounds,  Gualandi 
with  Sismondi  and  with  Lanf  ranchi  ^  he  had  put 
before  him  at  the  front.  After  short  course,  the 
father  and  his  sons  seemed  to  me  weary,  and  it 
seemed  to  me  I  saw  their  flanks  torn  by  the  sharp 
fangs. 

to  Florence  and  Lucca  some  of  their  towns  of  which  the  Pisans 
had  made  themselves  masters.  He,  with  his  followers,  attacked 
Count  Ugolino  in  his  house,  took  him  prisoner,  with  two  of  his 
sons  and  two  of  his  grandsons,  and  shut  them  up  in  the  Tower  of 
the  Gualandi,  where  in  the  following  March,  on  the  arrival  of 
Count  Guido  da  Montefeltro  (see  Canto  xxvii),  as  Captain  of  Pisa, 
they  were  starved  to  death. 

^  Monte  San  Giuliano. 

*  Three  powerful  Ghihelline  families  of  Pisa. 


CANTO  XXXUL  188 

"  When  I  awoke  before  the  morrow,  I  heard  my 
sons,  who  were  with  me,  wailing  in  their  sleep,  and 
asking  for  bread.  Truly  thou  art  cruel  if  already 
thou  gTievest  not,  thinking  on  what  my  heart  fore- 
told ;  and  if  thou  weepest  not,  at  what  art  thou 
wont  to  weep  ?  Now  they  were  awake,  and  the  hour 
drew  near  when  food  was  wont  to  be  brought  to  us, 
and  because  of  his  dream  each  one  was  apprehen- 
sive. And  I  heard  the  door  below  of  the  horrible 
tower  locking  up ;  whereat  I  looked  on  the  faces 
of  my  sons  without  saying  a  word.  I  wept  not,  I 
was  so  turned  to  stone  within.  They  wept ;  and 
my  poor  little  Anselm  said,  '  Thou  lookest  so, 
father,  what  aileth  thee  ? '  Yet  I  did  not  weep  ; 
nor  did  I  answer  all  that  day,  nor  the  night  after, 
until  the  next  sun  came  out  upon  the  world. 
When  a  little  ray  entered  the  woeful  prison, 
and  I  discerned  by  their  four  faces  my  own  very 
aspect,  both  my  hands  I  bit  for  woe ;  and  they, 
thinking  I  did  it  through  desire  of  eating,  of  a 
sudden  rose,  and  said,  '  Father,  it  will  be  far 
less  pain  to  us  if  thou  eat  of  us ;  thou  didst 
clothe  us  with  this  wretched  flesh,  and  do  thou 
strip  it  off.'  I  quieted  me  then,  not  to  make  them 
more  sad :  that  day  and  the  next  we  all  stayed 
dumb.  Ah,  thou  hard  earth !  why  didst  thou  not 
open  ?  After  we  had  come  to  the  fourth  day,  Gaddo 
threw  himself  stretched   out  at   my  feet,  saying, 


184  HELL. 

*  My  father,  why  dost  thou  not  help  me  ? '  Here 
he  died  :  and,  even  as  thou  seest  me,  I  saw  the 
three  fall  one  by  one  between  the  fifth  day  and  the 
sixth ;  then  I  betook  me,  already  blind,  to  groping 
over  each,  and  two  days  I  called  them  after 
they  were  dead  :  then  fasting  had  more  power  than 
grief." 

When  he  had  said  this,  with  his  eyes  distorted, 
he  seized  again  the  wretched  skull  with  his  teeth, 
that  were  strong  as  a  dog's  upon  the  bone. 

Ah  Pisa !  reproach  of  the  people  of  the  fair 
country  where  the  si  doth  sound, ^  since  thy  neigh- 
bors are  slow  to  punish  thee,  let  Caprara  and 
Gorgona  ^  move  and  make  a  hedge  for  Arno  at  its 
mouth,  so  that  it  drown  every  person  in  thee ;  for 
if  Count  Ugolino  had  repute  of  having  betrayed 
thee  in  thy  towns,  thou  oughtest  not  to  have  set 
his  sons  on  such  a  cross.  Their  young  age,  thou 
modern  Thebes  !  made  Uguccione  and  the  Bri- 
gata  innocent,  and  the  other  two  that  the  song 
names  above. 

We  passed  onward  to  where  the  ice  roughly 
en  swathes  another  folk,  not  turned  downward, 
but  all  upon  their  backs.     Their  very  weeping  lets 

^  Italy,  -whose  language  Dante  calls  il  volgare  di  si.  (Convito, 
i.  10.) 

^  Two  little  islands  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the  Amo,  oa 
whose  banks  Pisa  lies- 


CANTO  XXXIU.  185 

them  not  weep,  and  the  pain  that  finds  a  barrier 
on  the  eyes  turns  inward  to  increase  the  anguish ; 
for  the  first  tears  form  a  block,  and  like  a  visor 
of  crystal  fill  all  the  cup  beneath  the  eyebrow. 

And  although,  because  of  the  cold,  as  from  a 
callus,  all  feeling  had  left  its  abode  in  my  face, 
it  now  seemed  to  me  I  felt  some  wind,  wherefore  I, 
"  My  Master,  who  moves  this  ?  Is  not  every 
vapor  ■*  quenched  here  below  ?  "  Whereon  he  to 
me,  "  Speedily  shalt  thou  be  where  thine  eye  shall 
make  answer  to  thee  of  this,  beholding  the  cause 
that  rains  down  the  blast." 

And  one  of  the  wretches  of  the  cold  crust  cried 
out  to  us,  "  O  souls  so  cruel  that  the  last  station  is 
given  to  you,  lift  from  my  eyes  the  hard  veils,  so 
that  I  may  vent  the  grief  that  swells  my  heart,  a 
little  ere  the  weeping  re-congeal !  "  Wherefore  I 
to  him,  "  If  thou  wilt  that  I  relieve  thee,  tell  me 
who  thou  art,  and  if  I  rid  thee  not,  may  it  be 
mine  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  the  ice."  He  replied 
then,  "  I   am  friar   Alberigo ;  ^  1   am  he   of  the 

^  Wind  being  supposed  to  be  caused  by  the  action  of  the  son 
on  the  vapors  of  the  atmosphere. 

^  Alberigo  de'  Manfredi,  of  Faenza;  one  of  the  Jorial  Friars 
(see  Canto  xxiii).  Having  received  a  blow  from  one  of  his  kins- 
men, he  pretended  to  forgive  it,  and  invited  him  and  his  son  to  a 
feast.  Toward  the  end  of  the  meal  he  gave  a  preconcerted  signal 
by  calling  out,  "  Bring  the  fruit,"  upon  which  his  emissaries  rusheol 
in  and  killed  the  two  guests.  The  "  fruit  of  Brother  Alberigp " 
'b«oame  a  proverb. 


186  HELL. 

fruits  of  the  bad  garden,  and  here  I  receive  a  date 
for  a  fig."  ^  "  Oh !  "  said  I  to  him;  "  art  thou  now 
already  dead  ?  "  And  he  to  me,  "  How  it  may  go 
with  my  body  in  the  world  above  I  bear  no  know- 
ledge. Such  vantage  hath  this  Ptolomaea^  that 
oftentime  the  soul  falls  hither  ere  Atropos  hath 
given  motion  to  it.^  And  that  thou  may  the  more 
willingly  scrape  the  glassy  tears  from  my  face, 
know  that  soon  as  the  soul  betrays,  as  I  did,  its 
body  is  taken  from  it  by  a  demon,  who  thereafter 
governs  it  until  its  time  be  all  revolved.  The  soul 
falls  headlong  into  this  cistern,  and  perchance  the 
body  of  the  shade  that  here  behind  me  winters  still 
appears  above  ;  thou  oughtest  to  know  him  if  thou 
comest  down  but  now.  He  is  Ser  Branca  d'  Oria,* 
and  many  years  have  passed  since  he  was  thus  shut 
up."  "  I  think,"  said  I  to  him,  "  that  thou  deceiv- 
est  me,  for  Branca  d'  Oria  is  not  yet  dead,  and  he 
eats,  and  drinks,  and  sleeps,  and  puts  on  clothes." 
"  In  the  ditch  of  the  Malebranche  above,"  he  said, 
"  there  where  the  tenacious  pitch  is  boiling,  Michel 
Zanche  ^  had  not  yet  arrived  when  this  one  left 

1  A  fig  is  the  cheapest  of  Tuscan  fruits ;  the  imported  date  is 
more  costly. 

^  The  third  ring  of  ice,  named  for  that  Ptolemy  of  Jericho  who 
slew  his  father-in-law,  the  high -priest  Simon,  and  his  sons 
(1  Maccabees  xvi.  11-16). 

^  That  is,  before  its  life  on  earth  is  ended. 

*  Murderer,  in  1275,  of  his  father-in-law,  Michel  Zanche. 

C  Already  heard  of  in  the  fifth  pit  (Canto  zxii.  88). 


CANTO  XXXIII.  187 

in  liis  own  stead  a  devil  in  his  body,  and  in  that  of 
one  of  his  near  kin,  who  committed  the  treachery 
together  with  him.  But  now  stretch  out  hither  thy 
hand  ;  open  my  eyes  for  me."  And  I  opened  them 
not  for  him,  and  to  be  rude  to  him  was  courtesy. 

Ah  Genoese !  men  strange  to  all  morality  and 
full  of  all  corruption,  why  are  ye  not  scattered 
from  the  world  ?  For  with  the  worst  spirit  of  Ro- 
magna  I  found  one  of  you  such  that  for  his  deeds 
in  soul  he  is  bathed  in  Cocytus,  and  in  body  he 
seems  still  alive  on  earth. 


CANTO  XXXIV. 

Ninth  Circle  :  traitors.  Fourth  ring  :  Judecca.  —  Luci- 
fer.  —  Judas,  Brutus  and  Cassius.  —  Centre  of  the  universe. 
—  Passage  from  Hell.  —  Ascent  to  the  surface  of  the  South- 
ern Hemisphere. 

"  Vexilla  regis  prodeunt  infemi}  toward  us ; 
therefore  look  in  front,"  said  my  Master  ;  "  if  thou 
discernest  hira."  As  a  mill  that  the  wind  turns 
seems  from  afar  when  a  thick  fog  breathes,  or 
when  our  hemisphere  grows  dark  with  night,  such 
a  structure  then  it  seemed  to  me  I  saw. 

Then,  because  of  the  wind,  I  drew  me  behind 
my  Leader;  for  there  was  no  other  shelter.  I 
was  now,  and  with  fear  I  put  it  in  verse,  there  ^ 
where  the  shades  were  wholly  covered,  and  showed 
through  like  a  straw  in  glass.  Some  are  lying; 
some  stand  erect,  this  on  his  head,  and  that  on  his 
soles ;  another  like  a  bow  inverts  his  face  to  his 
feet. 

^  "The  banners  of  the  King  of  Hell  advance."  Vexilla  Regis 
prodeunt  are  the  first  •words  of  a  hymn  in  honor  of  the  Cross, 
sung  at  vespers  on  the  Feast  of  the  Exaltation  of  the  Holy  Gross 
and  on  Monday  of  Holy  Week. 

^  In  the  fourth,  innermost  ring  of  ice  of  the  ninth  circle,  —  the 
Judecca. 


CANTO  XXXIV.  189 

When  we  had  gone  so  far  forward  that  it  pleased 
my  Master  to  show  me  the  creature  that  had  the 
fair  semblance,  from  before  me  he  took  himself 
and  made  me  stop,  saying,  "Behold  Dis,  and  be- 
hold the  place  where  it  is  needful  that  with  foi-ti- 
tude  thou  arm  thee."  How  I  became  then  chilled 
and  hoarse,  ask  it  not,  Reader,  for  I  write  it  not, 
because  all  speech  would  be  little.  I  did  not  die, 
and  I  did  not  remain  alive.  Think  now  for  thyself, 
if  thou  hast  grain  of  wit,  what  I  became,  deprived 
of  one  and  the  other. 

The  emperor  of  the  woeful  realm  from  his  mid- 
breast  issued  forth  from  the  ice ;  and  I  match 
better  with  a  giant,  than  the  giants  do  with  his 
arms.  See  now  how  great  must  be  that  whole 
which  corresponds  to  such  parts.  If  he  was  as 
fair  as  he  now  is  foul,  and  against  his  Maker  lifted 
up  his  brow,  surely  may  all  tribulation  proceed 
from  him.  Oh  how  great  a  marvel  it  seemed  to 
me,  when  I  saw  three  faces  on  his  head !  one  in 
front,  and  that  was  red ;  the  others  were  two 
that  were  joined  to  this  above  the  very  middle  of 
each  shoulder,  and  they  were  joined  together  at 
the  place  of  the  crest ;  and  the  right  seemed  be- 
tween white  and  yellow,  the  left  was  such  to  sight 
as  those  who  come  from  where  the  Nile  flows 
valleyward.  Beneath  each  came  forth  two  great 
wings,  of  size  befitting  so  huge  a  bird.     Sails  of 


190  HELL. 

the  sea  never  saw  I  such.  They  had  no  feathers, 
but  their  fashion  was  of  a  bat ;  and  he  was  flap- 
ping them  so  that  three  winds  went  forth  from 
him,  whereby  Cocytus  was  all  congealed.  With 
six  eyes  he  was  weeping,  and  over  three  chins 
trickled  the  tears  and  bloody  drivel.  With  each 
mouth  he  was  crushing  a  sinner  with  his  teeth,  in 
manner  of  a  brake,  so  that  he  thus  was  making 
three  of  them  woeful.  To  the  one  in  front  the 
biting  was  nothing  to  the  clawing,  so  that  some- 
times his  spine  remained  all  stripped  of  skin. 

"  That  soul  up  there  which  has  the  greatest  pun- 
ishment," said  the  Master,  "  is  Judas  Iscariot,  who 
has  his  head  within,  and  plies  his  legs  outside.  Of 
the  other  two  who  have  their  heads  down,  he  who 
hangs  from  the  black  muzzle  is  Brutus ;  see  how 
he  writhes  and  says  no  word ;  and  the  other  is  Cas- 
sius,  who  seems  so  large-limbed.  But  the  night  is 
rising  again,  and  now  we  must  depart,  for  we  have 
seen  the  whole." 

As  was  his  pleasure,  I  clasped  his  neck,  and  he 
took  opportunity  of  time  and  place,  and  when  the 
wings  were  opened  wide  he  caught  hold  on  the 
shaggy  flanks ;  from  shag  to  shag  he  then  de- 
scended between  the  bushy  hair  and  the  frozen 
crusts.  When  we  were  just  where  the  thigh  turns 
on  the  thick  of  the  haunch,  my  Leader,  with  effort 
and  stress  of   breath,  turned  his  head  where   he 


CANTO  XXXIV.  191 

had  his  shanks,  and  clambered  by  the  hair  as  a 
man  that  ascends,  so  that  I  thought  to  return  again 
to  hell. 

"  Cling  fast  hold,"  said  the  Master,  panting  like 
one  weary,  "  for  by  such  stairs  it  behoves  to  de- 
part from  so  much  evil."  Then  he  came  forth 
through  the  opening  of  a  rock,  and  placed  me 
upon  its  edge  to  sit ;  then  stretched  toward  me  his 
cautious  step. 

I  raised  my  eyes,  and  thought  to  see  Lucifer 
as  I  had  left  him,  and  I  saw  him  holding  his  legs 
upward.  And  if  I  then  became  perplexed,  let  the 
dull  folk  think  it  that  see  not  what  that  point  is 
that  I  had  passed.^ 

"  Rise  up,"  said  the  Master,  "  on  thy  feet ;  the 
way  is  long  and  the  road  is  difficult,  and  already 
the  sun  unto  mid-tierce  ^  returns." 

^  This  point  is  the  centre  of  the  universe ;  when  Vii^  had 
turned  upon  the  haunch  of  Lucifer,  the  passage  had  heen  made 
from  one  hemisphere  of  the  earth  —  the  inhahited  and  known 
hemisphere  —  to  the  other  where  no  living  men  dwell,  and  where 
the  only  land  is  the  mountain  of  Purgatory.  In  changing  one 
hemisphere  for  the  other  there  is  a  change  of  time  of  twelve  hours. 
A  second  Saturday  morning  hegins  for  the  poets,  and  they  pass 
nearly  as  long  a  time  as  they  have  heen  in  Hell,  that  is,  twenty- 
four  hours,  in  traversing  the  long  and  hard  way  that  leads  through 
the  new  hemisphere  on  which  they  have  just  entered. 

2  Tierce  is  the  church  office  sung  at  the  third  hour  of  the  day, 
and  the  name  is  given  to  the  first  three  hours  after  sunrise.  Mid- 
tierce  consequently  here  means  about  half -past  seven  o'clock.    In 


192  HELL. 

It  was  no  hallway  of  a  palace  where  we  were, 
but  a  natural  dungeon  that  had  a  bad  floor,  and 
lack  of  light.  "  Before  I  tear  me  from  the  abyss," 
said  I  when  I  had  risen  up,  "  my  Master,  speak  a 
little  to  me  to  draw  me  out  of  error.  Where  is  the 
ice  ?  and  this  one,  how  is  he  fixed  thus  upside 
down?  and  how  in  such  short  while  has  the  sun 
from  eve  to  morn  made  transit  ?  "  And  he  to  me, 
"  Thou  imaginest  that  thou  still  art  on  the  other  side 
of  the  centre  where  I  laid  hold  on  the  hair  of  the 
guilty  Worm  that  pierces  the  world.  On  that  side 
wast  thou  so  long  as  I  descended ;  when  I  turned 
thou  didst  pass  the  point  to  which  from  all  parts 
whatever  has  weight  is  drawn  ;  and  thou  art  now 
arrived  beneath  the  hemisphere  opposite  to  that 
which  the  great  dry  land  covers,  and  beneath  whose 
zenith  the  Man  was  slain  who  was  born  and  lived 
without  sin.  Thou  hast  thy  feet  upon  the  little 
sphere  which  forms  the  other  face  of  the  Judecca. 
Here  it  is  morning  when  there  it  is  evening ;  and 
he  who  made  for  us  a  stairway  with  his  hair  is  still 
fixed  even  as  he  was  before.  Upon  this  side  he 
fell  down  from  heaven,  and  the  earth,  which  before 
was  spread  out  here,  through  fear  of  him  made  of 
the  sea  a  veil,  and  came  to  your  hemisphere ;  and 

Hell  Dante  never  mentions  the  sun  to  mark  division  of  time,  but 
now,  having  issued  from  Hell,  Virgil  marks  the  hour  by  a  refer- 
ence to  the  son. 


CANTO  XXXIV.  193 

perchance  to  flee  from  him  that  land  ^  which  on 
this  side  appears  left  here  this  empty  space  and 
upward  ran  back." 

A  place  is  there  below,  stretching  as  far  from 
Beelzebub  as  his  tomb  extends,^  which  not  by  sight 
is  known,  but  by  the  sound  of  a  rivulet  that  here 
descends  along  the  hollow  of  a  rock  that  it  has 
gnawed  with  its  course  that  winds  and  little  falls. 
My  Leader  and  I  entered  through  that  hidden  way, 
to  return  to  the  bright  world.  And  without  care 
to  have  any  repose,  we  mounted  up,  he  first  and  I 
second,  till  through  a  round  opening  I  saw  of 
those  beauteous  things  which  heaven  bears,  and 
thence  we  came  forth  to  see  again  the  stars. 

^  The  Mount  of  Purgatory. 

2  Hell  is  his  tomb ;  this  vacant  dark  passage  through  the  op- 
posite hemisphere  is,  of  course,  of  the  same  depth  as  Hell  from 
surface  to  centre. 


%xamiatiom  ot  J^ante* 


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